Contest Two
by MonkandMiko
Summary: These are the fics submitted for the second contest for the MonkandMiko Yahoo! group.
1. Wasted

Story Title: Wasted  
Author: KawaiiChica  
Disclaimer: Not mine, not the characters or the song, just the idea.  
Story Summary: Miroku battles his true curse.  
Rating: PG

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hold still Kagome, just don't move ok?"

Sango pressed her friend's shoulder down when she tried to sit up. Wincing at the pain in her side, Kagome did as instructed and lay back, gripping the grass beneath her while the wound was tended to. A few feet away, Inuyasha lay unconscious, his own wounds already bandaged and healing.

Taking shallow breaths to assuage the pain, Kagome cried out suddenly when a small stream of water was poured onto a particularly nasty tear. Apologizing, Sango wiped off the dried blood carefully and pressed a bandage over it.

"Sango?"

"Hmm...?" The taijiya continued her work, waiting for her to continue.

"Is everyone else all right? I seem to have fainted," Kagome whispered.

Glancing over her shoulder at the guilt-ridden houshi sitting a few yards away, Sango sighed quietly before replying. "Inuyasha's hurt but you know how fast he heals, Shippo got a few bruises but he's ok. I'll be sore for the next few days but other than that we're all fine."

Kagome nodded, lifting her head to get a quick look at everyone, "And Miroku-sama?"

"He's fine," Sango nudged her back down carefully. Looking over her shoulder again, Sango watched Kirara try to stand and fall back down. Realizing her youkai had been injured, she finished with Kagome quickly and hurried over to her kitten's side.

Picking up her faithful pet, Sango kneeled beside Miroku and touched his shoulder, "Houshi-sama I must tend to Kirara's wound, could you keep an eye on Kagome for me? She might try to get up."

"Of course," Nodding briefly, Miroku stood and watched her go, hesitating a moment before moving to kneel beside Kagome.

"Miroku-sama, daijobu?" She whispered, smiling despite her pain, relieved to see him uninjured.

"Hai, I'm just fine Kagome-sama"

Looking into her eyes, he saw the pain there and that her creamy complexion had paled significantly due to the blood loss from her injuries. [She got those while saving me - she risked her life to save mine]

Still in shock over all that had happened, his cursed hand gently took hold of hers, doubts on what he'd done to deserve such loyalty overwhelming the stunned houshi. This girl had nearly died to save him, Miroku, the lecherous houshi who'd groped her constantly and teased her to no end for her crush on Inuyasha.

He'd never wanted to be close to anyone, knowing that because of his curse he could die any day. Yet this girl had convinced him to travel with them, she became his friend and had eventually come to be like a sister to him.

And here she was, pale, hurting, and asking about his welfare.

-  
_I've spent__  
__My life_  
_Running from the emptiness_  
_That haunts me_  
-

"Your hand? You didn't use the Kazaana did you?"

Kagome raised her hand weakly and reached for his, relieved to feel his rosary beads in place. Looking up into his eyes, she saw a deep sorrow in them and gasped softly in surprise.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," Miroku shook his head and looked down at their clasped hands, noting the difference in the sizes. Unable to keep from asking, he found himself blurting out the question that had plagued him since she threw her body over his during the battle.

"Why Kagome? Why risk your life to save mine?"

Squeezing his hand, Kagome sighed and closed her eyes for a second before speaking. "Why do I bring Inuyasha ramen, and Shippo chocolates? Why do I do Sango's hair and listen to Kaede

teach me about herbs?"

Miroku shrugged, unsure of what she was getting at.

"Because it makes them happy and that makes me happy, you see..."

Opening her eyes, she lifted their hands and settled them over her stomach, lightly tugging him down closer so she could whisper into his ear.

"I love them"

-  
_And I've spent__  
__My whole life_  
_Trying to fuck_  
_The loneliness away_  
-

"L-love them?" Miroku blinked, looking down into her warm gaze.

Giving a short nod, Kagome smiled sweetly and brushed a kiss on his cheek, "Like I love you too."

Miroku froze, staring in stunned silence at the girl beneath him, holding his deadly hand as if the beads were not there, as if there were no danger in it. Seeing his surprise, she giggled and kissed his cheek again, laying back with that smile still on her lips.

"You love me?"

"Of course Miroku, don't you know that?" Kagome yawned and shivered suddenly.

Realizing that her shirt was in shreds, most of the things in her bag had been ruined, and that there was a chilly breeze in the air, Miroku lay down beside her, resting on his left side to block the wind as much as possible with his body.

Keeping their hands on her stomach, Kagome gave him a sleepy smile and whispered a soft thank you before falling into a deep, healing sleep. Watching her in her slumber, Miroku felt a wave of tenderness and affection for the girl beside him, followed by guilt at the pain she was in because of him.

-  
_And I die__  
__Inside_  
_When I think of all the people_  
_I have damaged_  
_And I'm tired_  
_I'm so tired_  
_And there's no one else_  
_Except myself to blame_  
-

-Flashback-

"Would you bear my child?"

-slap-

Kagome sighed and shook her head at the houshi rubbing his cheek, "Why do you ask that of every woman you meet?"

"You never know when you'll get a positive reply Kagome-sama," Miroku grinned, watching her roll her eyes. "Surely you understand my need for an heir, what with this curse and all."

"No I don't," Kagome snapped, uncharacteristically angry for some reason, "You're going to get rid of that curse one day and what then? What will you do? All your travels, what have they accomplished? What have you done? Is there really any place where you would go home to?"

Miroku frowned, "Go home to? No, I can't say I have such a claim on any place in particular."

Kagome nodded, "So when we finish this quest you'll go on wandering? You'll go back to being alone?"

"Sango's going back to her village and Inuyasha's probably going back to his forest. Shippo will be with Kaede and I have to finish school, what about you? You're the only one who's completely alone Miroku, if you're going to have an heir, shouldn't you have a wife?"

Kagome watched him for a reaction while continuing, "You know, a woman to come home to, grow old with and all that?"

Miroku stopped and eventually shook his head, "I couldn't do that. I couldn't get some poor woman to fall in love with me and then leave her and possibly die. It wouldn't be fair."

"But you're not..."

"Its a distinct possibility that I will die on this quest Kagome-sama, we must face up to that fact."

Giving him a teary glare, Kagome shook her head, "No we mustn't! That's just a cop-out Miroku, you use that to keep everyone away. You know as well as I do that you're not going to die any time soon."

When a tear slipped down her cheek, Miroku stepped forward and wiped it away, confused by the strength of her resolve about that. "We will all die Kagome-sama, someday. My curse just makes my death more of a threat. No one can be guaranteed anything in this life though, even you, kami forbid, may die in an attack tomorrow."

Nodding her head, Kagome's shoulders slumped in defeat, "I just don't want you to end up alone Miroku, I worry about you sometimes, you look so sad and lonely every once in a while. Its like you forget for a moment and your mask slips and there's such sadness in you."

Not knowing how to answer that, Miroku watched her wipe her eyes and turn away, moving towards a ribbon stand nearby.

- End Flashback -

Her words came back to him now, haunting him.

"You're going to get rid of that curse one day and what then? What will you do? All your travels, what have they accomplished?... Is there really any place where you would go home to?... You'll go back to being alone?"

-  
_My life's been wasted__  
__Everything is gone_  
_My life's been wasted_  
_And I am all alone_  
_My life's been wasted_  
_There is no one else_  
_My life's been wasted_  
_It's time I face myself_  
-

"This is so good!"

Kagome bit into her fish happily, thankful that they'd been given dinner by the owner of the house. She still needed to be careful not to move too much and had been carried on Inuyasha's back during their last two days of traveling, but she was looking much better now.

Nodding in agreement, Sango finished off her dinner and lay back with a sigh. It was nice being inside and out of the storm, they were lucky to find the village not long after it had begun. And it had been a while since they'd had anything other than ramen, even Inuyasha praised the food.

Keeping his eyes on his plate, Miroku missed the worried look Kagome gave him, snapping from his musings when the shoji was knocked on.

"Hai?"

Sango got up and went to slide it open, the gentleman, a rich rice plantation owner, smiled and explained. "We were not expecting company this evening so I must go to a gentleman's gathering, I wondered if perhaps you cared to join us Houshi-sama?"

Glancing at the girl sitting across from him, Miroku saw her worried frown and quickly turned away, moving to stand from the table. "It sounds like a fine idea, I thank you for the invitation."

Turning to close the shoji, he caught Sango's glare and looked past her, dismayed to see Kagome's crestfallen expression. Forcing down the guilt that plagued him, he quietly shut the door and walked out, following the enigmatic man through the rain to a nearby Tea House.

Hours and many sake cups later, a soaked and tipsy Miroku returned and stumbled into the room, attempting not to wake the others. Unfortunately, the shoji didn't seem to approve of his activities either because it refused to close, making him curse aloud and wake Kagome.

Sitting up and wiping her sleepy eyes, she realized the state he was in and sighed audibly.

Standing and coming over to his side, she lightly touched her foot to his making him look down and see the problem with the shoji.

Apparently - his foot was in the way.

With a sheepish grin, he moved it and pushed on the door, wincing when it slammed against the doorframe. Looking back quickly, they were relieved to see Inuyasha turn away from the sound and Sango remain unaffected, Shippo and Kirara slept on also.

Silently leading him towards his futon, Kagome took away his and gently helped remove his soaked garments, leaving Miroku clad in the lightly damp yukata he wore beneath the robes before pushing him down onto his bedding. Tugging the blanket up to his chest, she heard him moan and shook her head a little.

Her voice was held a deep sorrow which quickly sobered him as she leaned down and lay a soft kiss to his forehead, whispering against it. "When are you going to stop hurting yourself this way?"

-  
_I've spent__  
__My life_  
_Trapped inside_  
_A cycle of self destruction_  
-

Wincing at the truth in her words, Miroku grabbed her hand before she could move away and looked up into her eyes. Such sadness there, for him, she worried about him. She'd told him herself.

"Kagome-sama..."

"Hai?"

Raising her free hand, she pushed a wet bang out of his eyes, fingertips soothing the dizziness in his head a bit.

"Have you ever been drunk?"

She blinked, confusion shone in those lovely orbs, "Nani?"

"Have you ever been drunk?"

Shaking her head, she lightly rubbed his temple, somehow knowing he had a pounding headache and that it would be eased away by her touch.

"It helps"

"How can getting yourself sick help anything?"

Closing his eyes to enjoy her minstrations, he raised her captive hand and placed it as his other temple, releasing it when she took the hint and gently rubbed there too. Her voice was soft but persistent as she spoke again, demanding an answer.

"How can being drunk help anything Miroku?"

"Pain"

"I thought I was getting rid of it," Kagome stopped, her hands remaining on his face.

"No- yes... not that pain," Miroku sighed and took one hand again, lowering it to his chest, resting above his heart.

"Oh, that pain," Kagome flattened her palm, her thumb circling soothingly.

Lifting his hand to the one on his face, Miroku touched them to his temple as he explained."If this is numb," He squeezed her hand.

"The pain here is forgotten," Miroku pressed down lightly on the one over his heart.

Kagome nodded, sliding her hand down from his face to his shoulder. Smiling sadly, she raised it again and traced the outline of his jaw with one finger, following it down to his neck and back up again. Sitting there for what felt like hours, they remained trapped in the moment, eyes locked

together, her gaze was deep and sorrowful yet understanding all at once. Miroku felt a connection, some force keeping them there, and it was as if she could see into his very soul for a minute.

Too soon however, the spell was broken by a snore from the opposite side of the room. Blinking at the sound, Kagome glanced over her shoulder at the kitsune in her bedding and rolled her eyes.

Looking back down again, she watched Miroku yawn with smile which quickly turned melancholy again. Leaning down, she surprised him with a kiss on the cheek and a soft whisper in his ear.

"Forgotten momentarily, but how soon until the haze clears?... How long before you're alone once more?"

Glancing into his eyes again, she brushed one last kiss to his forehead and moved away, sliding into her own bedding and leaving him to his thoughts.

-  
_And I've spent__  
__My whole life_  
_Trying to numb_  
_The pain inside my soul_  
-

[If only you knew Kagome, you can't understand what its like]

Miroku lay staring up at the ceiling, sobered by her words and his troubles.

He couldn't settle down and have a family, not if he knew he was going to die and leave them soon. His flirting was harmless, just a way to lighten the reality of his situation a bit, he had no intention of siring a child he could never hope to see grow up. He'd been just a child when he'd seen his own father die and he'd sworn to himself, no child of his would have to go through the horrors of that sight.

It still haunted him, the horrified screams, the winds, the arms holding him back as he cried out for the man he'd worshiped and idolized in the way every son idolizes his father.

Falling asleep eventually, he found himself there once again, surrounded by the same icy winds, the same hands holding him back, the bright light from his father's hand as it swallowed him whole. But then the screams changed, from his child's voice to a higher pitched one - a very feminine voice. And the he saw it all become different, and it was no longer him being held back.

Struggling against a pair of unseen hands, Kagome stood in his place screaming, not his father's name but his. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she stared ahead, and then he realized it wasn't his father being sucked into the void, it was him. She was watching him die, helpless, screaming, crying, and he could do nothing to stop it, just as his father had been able to.

Sitting upright in his futon, Miroku woke in a cold sweat, body heaving and trembling. Rising to his feet, he rushed from the room, needing fresh air, needing for a moment some way to remind himself that he was still alive, still there. Plunging out into the storm, he stood in the great house's courtyard and raised his head to the sky.

The cold water soothed him, pricking like needles, sending gooseflesh along his skin, and assuring him of his being there. This was real, he was real, and he was not yet dead.

A sound broke into his thoughts, low and pained and to his surprise, he realized it was a sob, his sob.

Wondering when the last time he'd felt so overwhelmed with despair, he stood there, unable to stop the wrenching sounds coming from his body. Too long, so long since he'd worried like this, analyzed and realized how alone he truly was.

How could one be alone when in a crowded village?

How could one be alone when in the company of friends?

Of family?

Stepping towards a nearby bench, Miroku sat and rested his back against it, on the ground, legs bent, elbows resting on his knees, hands sliding through his hair, stopping at the base of his neck.

And he wept, long and hard, the cold and rain forgotten in the darkness that had already swept over his life.

[Its my own fault... my own damn fault... I chose this... I chose to be alone...]

[So why does it hurt so badly now?]

-  
_And furious__  
__I cry_  
_When I realized_  
_I fought this war with no one_  
_I'm tired_  
_I'm so fucking tired_  
_Gotta find a way_  
_To keep myself alive_  
-

Everything had been fine before, he traveled alone without a care in the world. He had friends all over Japan, knew people in innumerable villages, men, women, merchants, geishas, sailors, whores. He'd helped some, cheated a few others, drank with most and gambled every so often as well.

Faces flashed through his mind suddenly, people he'd met and briefly befriended on his travels.

Kirei - the boy he'd saved from a gang of collectors near Kyoto.

Aoi - the pretty girl sold to a brothel by her spiteful stepfather.

Yuri - a servant girl who'd snuck him into her mistress' home and given him shelter overnight,

eyes sparkling when he'd asked her to bear his child.

Ryusuke - a merchant about to lose his home and shop because of a cruel daimyo's high taxes.

People he'd met and learned about, but never really thought of again. Would his whole life be like that? Did any of them ever remember him now?

Would any of them ever know or care if he lived or died? Would anyone?

The truth hit him suddenly and left him cold and empty.

-  
_When I reach the end__  
__Will anything I've done _  
_Mean anything?_  
-

Probably not-  
_Will anything I've done mean anything?_  
-

Warmth reached him suddenly, bringing Miroku from his despair as something soft and dry was wrapped around him. Blinking through the tears and rain in his eyes, he stared at the girl kneeling before him in shock.

"I'm sorry"

Kagome sniffled and her chin trembled, "Its not my place to judge you or your actions, I'm sorry that I hurt you."

Shaking his head, Miroku saw her shiver and realized she'd wrapped her blanket around him, leaving herself at the mercy of the storm. Raising his arms, he reached forward and pulled her body into the space between his legs, shushing her soft cry and wrapping the blanket around them both.

With her head resting against his chest, he felt not only her physical warmth but also the soothing warmth of her aura surround him and ease away the cold emptiness within him. Curling up in his lap, Kagome wrapped her arms around his waist and raised her head to look into his face.

Realizing she'd spoken, he shook himself out of it and asked her to repeat herself.

"I said I'm still sorry"

"No, you were right" Miroku sighed and closed his eyes, resting his cheek against her forehead as he spoke. "I chose to be alone to spare others the pain of separation when I died."

"But you won't..." Kagome quieted when his thumb gently touched her lips.

"I also did it to save myself the guilt and pain of their loss. If I died no one would care and I would be free to go without worries. Its what I wanted."

"But that's so sad," Kagome whispered, shivering at a cold gust of wind that blew over them. "Its such a lonely way to live."

"I see that now," Miroku agreed, crossing his legs around her, cocooning her body in his to keep the cold away. As it was, they were both soaked through already. Why in the world they didn't get up out of the rain he wasn't sure, but something kept him there.

That something shifted and sighed, her breath fanning across his bare chest while her cheek rested against it, the steady beating of his heart thundering beneath her ear. "You see it?"

"I do," Miroku felt another gust of wind, followed by another shiver.

"And?"

"Everything's been useless really," He sighed and closed his eyes, "Everything I've done... for nothing."

To his surprise, her hands lifted and came out of the blanket, cradling his face in them so he would look down at her. Despite the rain falling into her eyes, Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"Its been good for something Miroku, everything happens for a reason."

"Why then? What good did my pushing everyone away do?"

"Besides all the good you've done. Its made you see that your father was not as wrong as you've always thought." Kagome ignored the rain and kept her eyes on his.

Miroku frowned, "My father?"

"You watched him die, you were so little and it must have been terrifying," Kagome lowered his head and had him rest it on her shoulder while her arms slipped around his and hugged him tightly, her voice soft and soothing when she spoke again.

"Traumatizing also, for a child to see such a horrible way to die. I realized after we learned about

it that you'd decided then and there to keep everyone away, to spare them that pain."

He nodded, arms tightening and pulling her body closer, clinging to her like a lifeline. Kagome understood and tightened her hold, resting her cheek against his. "He never meant for you to see that, if he'd known when it would happen I'm sure he'd have been long gone but he wasn't prepared. And he understood that a life without love and friendship is no life at all, so he took the risk Miroku, he settled down to bring you up and I'm sure his only regret in those last moments was your being there to watch."

"Can I take that risk though? I've been fine until now," Miroku mumbled.

"Then why were you crying when I came out?" Kagome argued.

Opening his mouth to answer, he was cut off by a flash of lightning, followed soon by a roll of thunder. Feeling her jump at the sound, he realized they were still outside and raised his head, smiling down at her gently.

Ignoring her confused gaze, he stood and shook some life into his limbs again, feeling the stinging as blood rushed into his cold hands and feet. Squatting, he lifted the drenched girl and blanket into his arms, carrying her inside to their room.

Setting her down beside the door, he took the blanket and tossed it into a corner. Quickly locating another, he handed it to her and turned his back so she could remove her pj's and wrap it around herself. Knowing she'd also turned her back, he found himself another blanket and wrapped it around himself, throwing his yukata into the corner as well.

Listening to his movements, she turned and surprised him then, tucking him into his bed but instead of moving away, sliding down to join him. Lifting and wrapping his arms around herself, Kagome nestled into his warmth, her head resting on his shoulder. When he failed to move, she moved back a little and raised her face to look into his.

Seeing the uncertainty there, Kagome raised herself on one elbow and whispered. "We have two options Miroku; A- you raise your left arm and I take it as a sign to leave, or B- you close them both around me and let me sleep here, with you."

Miroku looked down and into her eyes again, understanding the meaning behind his decision. If he accepted this now, there'd be no going back.

Either he pushed Kagome, and everyone else, away - keeping himself locked in his solitary hell.

Or he pulled her to him - and opened himself up to the world for the first time since he'd gotten

his curse, at the risk of hurting those who came to care for him.

A life of solitary wandering

or

The chance for something more

-  
_Will anything I've done mean anything?_  
-

[What will it be Miroku?]

He remembered his earlier thoughts:

Would anyone ever care if he lived or died?

Everything I've done... for nothing.

And he realized in that moment, his true curse.

Not the Kazaana, but...

Loneliness

His self-induced solitude

-  
_My life's been wasted__  
__Everything is gone_  
_My life's been wasted_  
_And I am all alone_  
_My life's been wasted_  
_There is no one else_  
_My life's been wasted_  
-

"Miroku?"

Kagome whispered his name, worry evident in her tone, bringing him from his thoughts and he realized he'd closed his eyes.

Wordlessly, he tightened his hold, dragging her forward to rest her head on his shoulder again.

With a smile, Kagome snuggled in close, placing a kiss to his shoulder, neck, cheek and a quick peck to his lips.

Eyes widening at that, Miroku saw the blush spread on her cheeks and smiled, guessing it had been her first kiss by the awkward way her lips had brushed over his. Lowering his head, he saw her eyes close seconds before his mouth descended onto hers. This second kiss was equally sweet, a gentle, heart-felt caress to express his feelings.

And it did, Kagome understood perfectly, and it was all she could ask for in a kiss. Tender, loving, she could practically hear his words as if he spoke them out loud.

[_Thank you... I'll be ok now... I love you..._]

-  
_It's time I face myself__  
_-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, my entry is once again, a songfic. I heard this song and immediately thought of Miroku. Sorry for the length, I'm telling you, the song just inspired me to write this, it all but wrote itself.

I hope you all like it!


	2. The Horror!

Story Title: The Horror!

Author: Horridporrid

Disclaimer: Not mine

Story Summary: Sometimes dreams reveal more than we really want to know.

Rating: PG-13 (unless the word 'nipple' automatically gets you an R. I'm so unclear on these things.)

Kagome was late. She was trying to run, but her limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. The sun beat down oppressively from a barren sky. Trees rustled indifferently from within their uniform squares of pale earth lined along the gleaming sidewalk. Her destination loomed threateningly on the horizon. She was trying to move, and she couldn't, and she was late. And then suddenly, mercifully, she was there.

Kagome stood at the door of her classroom, and no one saw her. They were all bent over their desks, concentrating on the papers in front of them. The teacher stood with his back to the class, staring out the window, a dark shadow in the overly bright sunlight. If she was quick and quiet, Kagome could get to her desk, empty and stark in the sunlit corner, and no one would ever know that she was late. And now, when she most needed too, she was moving like a mountain stream, sure and swift and smooth. And she was at her desk and she was safe.

The test was waiting for her, and Kagome bent over it, blending into her classmates, dissolving into the group. But it didn't make sense. Kagome frowned and bent down closer. Figures and symbols swam in front of her eyes, but she couldn't tell what they meant. Was that a six? Or was it a three? She couldn't tell, and the harder she tried, the more the meaning slipped away. Kagome shifted anxiously in her seat. Was it a problem with the paper? Should she ask the teacher? Could she risk calling attention to herself?

"Teacher, teacher," a voice piped up, taking the decision out of Kagome's hands. Someone else was having problems with the test; Kagome was not alone. With blessed relief, Kagome sat up and looked over the sea of bent heads. A small hand was waving at the front of the classroom, and the teacher was turning an attentive face towards the student.

"On question twenty-seven, did you just want the formula, or should we list the source too?"

"Oh, both I should think," the teacher replied easily. "It's only fair."

There was a quiet rustle of murmured agreement throughout the classroom. Yes, it was only fair. Heads bobbed in polite accord and Kagome couldn't move. She was panicked and numb and she couldn't move. But she should have nodded and murmured with the rest of the class. She had failed to blend. And now the teacher was looking right at her. Was frowning right at her.

"Kagome, what are you wearing?"

Kagome stood up obediently, and she tried to answer, to explain that she was wearing her uniform, like she was supposed to. But her tongue was swollen with fear and she couldn't open her mouth.

"She was late too, teacher. She was late." It was the same student who had asked the question, and Kagome wanted to kill him. To rip his head from his body and dance in his blood. And then the student turned around and it was Souta. Sweet little Souta who collected her homework for her and remembered her books and he looked so sad. He was looking at her and he was sad, and Kagome wanted to cry with shame.

She stumbled to the front of the class, stubbing her toes on the floor, and bruising her hips on the desks. Books fell in her wake and the teacher still frowned as she finally stood in front of him, panting and sweating from the effort.

"I am sorry Kagome, but we can do this no longer." The teacher shook his head sadly. "If you are unable to even follow the dress code..."

Kagome looked at her fellow classmates and horrible understanding dawned. They were all Souta's age, prepubescent and androgynous. And they were all nude, their little pink bodies as similar as a uniform. "Wait! Please, I can..." Kagome struggled to pull off her clothes, even though she knew that it was impossible, that she was too long limbed and rounded in all the wrong places. She would never blend in.

The teacher was unaffected by her pleas, and he herded her towards the door. "I am sorry, but you have been here for far too long. You must go to the principal and receive your dismissal." Without even a final glance, he pushed Kagome out into the hallway.

Her sweater was being difficult and her arms were now tangled helplessly at her sides. The floor was moving at incredible speed, sweeping her down the never-ending hallway so that the many classroom doors passed in a blur. The soft sibilant sound of pencils scratching over paper filled her ears, and soon she was drowning in the sound. Kagome tried to grab at the walls, but they slid by too quickly. Panic was a solid presence in her chest. She couldn't get thrown out of school, she just couldn't! Desperately, she screamed for Inuyasha. She knew she screamed. She could feel her throat muscles working and tearing with the effort. But there was no sound. Only the pencils, working steadily away. And the floor sped her along to the principal.

Kagome worked desperately at her clothing. If she was naked when she got to his office, maybe then the principal would listen to her, would give her one more chance. She was down to her underwear when suddenly the hall floor transformed into an escalator sinking into the bowels of the school. For one terrifying moment Kagome was afraid she would fall: tumbling forever down, bruised, bloodied, and forgotten. But she regained her balance and instead of a chaotic plummet she was carried downward at a slow, steady, inevitable pace. Forgettable music tinkled quietly through tinny speakers, and flourescent lights buzzed sleepily overhead.

At first Kagome was soothed by the music, the blank walls sliding slowly by, the soft flickering light. But a creeping sense of exposure was tickling up her spine and Kagome was no longer sure about her decision to discard her uniform. Her bra was faded, the elastic of her panties stretched and drooping, only their age made them a matching set. How could she impress the principal dressed like this? Kagome wrapped her arms around herself and slumped a little. "Inuyasha," she whimpered.

"Kagome," a strangely familiar voice replied softly.

Kagome turned toward the voice and smiled. "Miroku," she said, and relief washed through her, because she was not alone, and he was naked too.

He was paralleling her, walking down the up-escalator and easily keeping pace with the down-escalator she rode. "Why are you going down?" he asked.

"Oh, umm... I was told –,"

"Ah, yes. One must always do what one is told," he interrupted, his pious tone at odds with his teasing smirk.

Kagome huffed in annoyance and his smirk grew. "Well, why are you going down?" she asked pointedly.

"I'm not going down, I'm going up."

"But, you're..." she gestured downward where the escalator stretched ever onwards, its bold lines eventually collapsing into a distant pinprick.

"This is just a digression," he said easily. "My true journey is up."

"Oh." They moved together in silence for a while, and then, "Can I go up with you?" Kagome asked.

Miroku smiled, a genuine smile that warmed Kagome to her toes. "Of course."

So Kagome gripped the cold silvery sides of the banister between them, and rolled her body onto the two moving handrails. The wide dark rubber pulled at her skin, and it was a strange sensation, having part of her pulled down and part of her pulled up, while the rest of her hung in infinite space. But she continued her roll, swinging her legs over towards Miroku's side, and he held her waist in a strong sure grip and then she was standing on the stair with him, grinning like a little girl and barely resisting the temptation to throw her hands in the air like a gymnast and say "Ta-da!"

Miroku released her and rested his hip against the side of the escalator. He crossed his arms over his bare chest, and grinned back down at her. Kagome realized, with a strange tickle of disappointment that he wasn't completely naked. He wore crisp, white boxers that were two sizes too big for him. They had a giant, bright yellow smiley face on the crotch. As Kagome looked down at the smiley face, it winked at her and she jumped a little in surprise. "He's friendly," she said, looking back up at Miroku.

Miroku shrugged one shoulder. "He likes you."

For some reason, that simple statement sent a spear of heat shooting through Kagome. She was strangely aware of Miroku's bare chest, the smooth golden skin, the ripple of muscle as he uncrossed his arms, the dusky circle of each nipple. She wondered what he tasted like.

"Here we are."

Startled, Kagome tore her gaze away from Miroku's body to see that the escalator was coming to an end. Miroku grabbed her hand and strode briskly forward, pulling her in his wake. The concrete ground was hard and gritty under her bare feet and Kagome's first impression was of cavernous emptiness. Then an unintelligible, but weirdly familiar voice spoke efficiently from overhead speakers. Now Kagome could tell they were in an enormous train station. "But where are all the –" she started to ask when a massive mechanical screeching overrode all attempts at speech.

Cringing, Kagome followed her instincts and froze. Suddenly a mass of humanity engulfed her. Men and women, clad in black business suits that harshly crushed out any attempt at individuality, surged and eddied in a complex pattern that had little patience for anyone standing still. As they brushed against her with increasing strength, Kagome could feel her tenuous grip on Miroku's hand start to slip. Kagome broke into a cold sweat. She was going to loose him! She could feel a terrified whimper building in her throat and then suddenly strong arms wrapped around her.

"It's okay, Kagome. I'm here. I've got you." Miroku's warm breath tickled her ear and the heat of his skin pressed into hers. She was surrounded by his scent, the smell of hot summers at the beach, salt-encrusted bodies and baked sand, and conversely, a tea house in the mountains, crisp tree-cleansed air and heat-infused jasmine. She looked up into his dark, dark eyes and a desire filled her so full, her very skin tingled with it.

Miroku smiled down at her, knowledge tickling the corner of his mouth. "Do as you wish, Kagome," he said so softly it was like he hadn't spoken at all. But she had heard him and that was all the permission she needed.

Kagome twisted around in his arms, and rose up on tip-toes. The black suits still crashed around them, but she took no notice of them now. Instead she buried her nose in the crook of Miroku's neck and then, tentatively at first but with rising hunger, she began to lick him. He tasted as he smelled, and Kagome eagerly worked her way up his neck, lingering on a particularly delicious spot just behind his ear before moving on to lick and nibble along his jaw. It was delightful! How she had longed to do this, and now she was! With a great sense of daring, Kagome maneuvered herself until she was nuzzling at the side of his mouth. Soon, she thought, soon she would kiss him, and maybe, oh maybe, he would kiss her back.

"What the hell are you doing!"

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she hung for a long disorienting moment between sleep and awake. Then her mind caught up and she knew that she was not trapped in some strange dreamscape, but settled safely in the feudal era.

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha. Kagome was having a nightmare. I was merely comforting her." Miroku's soothing voice vibrated through her, which Kagome found strange at first. And then she realized that she was snuggled up against the monk! With a gasp she wriggled out of his arms and flopped back onto her sleeping bag. Two pairs of startled eyes stared down at her, and Kagome could feel a blush starting.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Inuyasha's golden eyes softened in concern and that special thrill ran through her that always came when Inuyasha turned his full attention on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said.

"Was it a really bad dream?"

Kagome hesitated. She couldn't quite remember the dream. She could recall a faint sense of fear, but mostly she remembered a strange kind of excitement. An unexplainable sensation that still tingled through her body. "I don't think..."

"You were calling out for Inuyasha," Miroku said quietly, and when Kagome looked at the monk the lingering feelings spiked suddenly.

"Oh! I - I did?" Kagome flushed under Miroku's concerned gaze. Had his eyes always been so deep a blue ? Embarrassed and confused Kagome turned towards Inuyasha, comforted by the familiar pull of attraction she felt for the half-demon. "Well, it must not have been that bad, since I can't really remember it."

Inuyasha scooted closer. Kagome could tell he wanted to touch her. She hoped he would. But even as he reached out his hand the usual look of guilt passed over his face, and he stopped mid-gesture. "I'm going to go back to patrolling?" He turned his statement into a question and despite her frustration Kagome was touched by his willingness to stay if she needed him.

"Okay," she whispered, giving him permission to leave. Kagome snuggled back into her sleeping-bag as Inuyasha took to the trees. She certainly didn't need him to leave off his watch over a silly, maybe-scary dream.

There was a rustle of movement and then Miroku was leaning over her, his eyes crinkled in amusement. "Don't worry Kagome," he said, brushing her cheek with one hand. "I'll be glad to help you through any more bad dreams." He looked down at her for a long moment, clearly waiting for a reply, and clearly feeling more and more awkward when no reply was forthcoming.

Kagome knew she should come back with a quick rejoinder, maybe even a half-hearted slap for his presumptuousness. But with his proximity and his touch, her dream had come flooding back in all its glory. Including the smiley face boxers, God help her. It was all she could do to keep from kissing him. So she gripped the fabric of her sleeping bag in her fists and stared, and Miroku's look of amusement turned to one of concern.

"Are you sure you're okay, Kagome?"

Kagome laughed a little hysterically. "Of course! I'm fine! It was a very weird dream, that's all," she said. "Didn't mean a thing," she added, probably a tad too fiercely. She nodded her head emphatically and then covered herself with the sleeping bag, turning decisively away from the confused monk. Because it was just a stupid dream, and she loved Inuyasha, sweet conflicted Inuyasha. And she absolutely refused to breathe in the poignant scent that lingered around her, or think about the taste that danced temptingly just beyond the tip of her tongue.

:::the end:::


	3. Sweet Dreams

Title: Sweet Dreams

Author: Me, or you may know me as Gothichika. Either one works. =]

Disclaimer: Are Miroku and Kagome together? No? Then not mine. But if it WAS mine, I would SO put them together. Vote for me to own it, and they will live happily ever after (and so will you cracks knuckles )!!

Summary: Kagome has a horrible dream/nightmare, and Miroku wakes up to comfort her.

Rating: PG-13 for violence.

A/N: This is my first fic. Ever. I'm actually surprised it turned out this good. Anyways, yea. On with the fic!

"Blah" = Talking

'Blah' = Thinking

------ = Change of scene

Blah = Action

(Blah) = I have no idea. If you see one, tell me.

-----------------------

Sweet Dreams

-----------------------

"No you're not!"

"I am too!"

"No you're not!"

"I am too!"

"No you're not!"

"Inuyasha..."

"Yea Kagome?"

"SSIIIIIIIIITTTT!!!"

THUD 

Miroku shook his head. That hanyou would never learn. Poor Inuyasha. He was probably halfway there to the center of the earth's core, or whatever. That would be what? The third time today? Miroku shook his head again and headed toward the hut to eat. When he was inside, he was greeted by a wonderful view of Sango's beautiful derriere. Unwilling to pass a great opportunity, he carefully stretched his hand toward its target...

SLAP 

Kagome shook her head. That monk would never learn. Poor Miroku. He was probably unconscious. Again. That would be what? The third time today? Kagome shook her head again and headed inside to eat. When she got to the doorway, she was greeted by a very hilarious site. Miroku was sporting a red cheek and a huge bump on the head, and was staggering around, trying to stay up right, yelling incoherent words. Unfortunately, he was not successful in the standing department, and went tumbling to the ground. By now, Kagome was unsuccessfully trying to breath, Sango none better.

Inuyasha walked in, saw Kagome and Sango rolling on the ground, laughing hysterically, Miroku sprawled on the floor, and wondered what in the seven hells was going on.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was evening now, Sango and Kirara back at home, and Inuyasha in his tree fast asleep. Kagome was setting up her sleeping bag, giggling every few minutes. Miroku finally had enough of the giggling and decided to go over and ask what was so funny. With that in mind, he pushed himself up from under the tree and walked over.

"Kagome?"

Kagome looked up, startled. "Oh, Miroku. Yea?"

"May I ask what is so funny to make you giggle every few minutes?"

"Huh? Oh...I um...I was...ah...I was laughing at...at how...how funny Inuyasha looked when he got sat! Yea...that's it..." Kagome lied. She didn't want to tell him that she was really laughing at how stupid he looked earlier that evening.

"Really? Okay..." Miroku wasn't convinced, but didn't goad her any further. Kagome just smiled innocently.

"Uh, I better get to sleep now. Night Miroku."

"Good night Kagome."

"Sweet Dreams!"

"WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP?!"

And with that, along with a bone breaking "sit", the campsite became silent.

-------------------------------------------DREAM-------------------------------------------

Kagome was standing in a field of flowers, Shippou off to the side chasing an innocent butterfly. Sango and Kirara were next to each other, one polishing the Hiraikotsu, one licking herself clean. Inuyasha was in a tree, as always, and Miroku was enjoying the wonderful view of Kagome's panties, as he was lying down behind Kagome.

Suddenly, the blue sky became gray, and then pitch black. Kagome tried to scream for the others, but she couldn't talk. A voice started to laugh.

"Stupid, pathetic human. Shouldn't you be off trying to complete the Shikon No Tama? Well, since you idiots were too lazy to, I did you a "favor" and completed it for you! But since I did you a favor, don't you think it would only be fair if you did me one too? Yes? Good. Then my request would be only to stand there like a good girl and watch your friends...DIE."

The voice faded away, only to be replaced by a large screen showing Sango in the middle of the field, as if it were a movie. Kohaku stepped into view, and pulled out a dagger. He raised his hand, and plunged it into his sister's heart, pulled out, and stabbed again and again. Kagome tried to run to her, to save her, but she couldn't move. She could only stand there and cry.

That picture faded away, and another screen came into view, showing Inuyasha in the field. In stepped in Sesshoumaru, Tenseiga in hand, slicing his brother in half. Once again, Kagome cried, telling him to stop, But he didn't. He merely picked up the Tetsusaiga and walked away.

After Sesshoumaru left, another shadow came onto the screen. Shippou. "No! Not Shippou!" she wanted to yell, but nothing came out. She could only watch as the Thunder Brothers went and kill him as they did to his parents. Kagome was on her knees by now, crying hysterically, with the voice cackling in the background.

Soon the last screen came into view, with Miroku and the Kazaana. She watched as bit by bit, he was sucked into it, just like his father and grandfather.

"NNNOOOOO!!!"

---------------------------------------------END---------------------------------------------

"NNNOOOOO!!!"

Kagome sat straight up, sweating, pale and shivering. Miroku ran to her side and scooped her up into his arms, murmuring soothing words into her ear while she cried. When the tears where all gone, Miroku decided to ask her what had gotten to all worked up.

"Kagome? It's ok. What's wrong?"

"Oh Miroku hic ...it was hic awful!"

"What was? Your nightmare? That's all it is, a nightmare. It won't come true."

"I kn hic ow, but hic still..."

"Shh, it's ok. Why don't you tell me about it."

And so she did, explaining the voice, the pictures, everything.

"...and you-you...you know..." She ended. Miroku was, to say the least, stunned.

'Wow, if I had that kind of dream...no wonder she was so scared traumatized...wait a minute...'

"Hey Kagome? What color panties WERE you wearing?" Miroku asked slyly, wiggling his eyebrows.

"UGH! Mirkoku!" Kagome exclaimed, turning red.

"What? Really, what color? Why do I get to know in your dream, yet I can't in reality? Huh?" He asked, smirking. Kagome laughed. "There we go. Ladies and gentlemen, do not fret. Our bubbly Kagome is BAACK!" He shouted, as if announcing it to a crowd, yet making sure he didn't wake up Inuyasha. Kagome stifled her giggles.

"M-mir-rok-u! St-top!"

Miroku chuckled. 'At least I got her mind off the dream. But I really do want to know what color they were...'

"...Miroku."

'Huh?'

"Miroku?"

"Could you repeat that Kagome? I didn't hear it." Miroku asked sheepishly.

"I SAID, thank you. It was really kind of you to comfort me, Miroku."

"Oh, it's no problem. I'm always here if you need comforting."

SLAP 

"WHAT?!"

Kagome just rolled her eyes and climbed back into her sleeping bag. Miroku went back under his tree, and all was quiet again. Until...

"Miroku?" Kagome asked in a small voice.

"Yes, Kagome?"

"Um...I'm still scared. Can sleep with me?"

Miroku snapped open an eye. 'So much for the thought of getting the dream out of her head...wait, did she just ask me...'

"Did you just ask me to-"

"Not that way, you hentai! Ugh, you know what? Never mind. Just forget it." Kagome huffed and lay back down on her makeshift bed.

"EEP! Miroku? What are you doing?!" Kagome squealed. Miroku just pulled Kagome closer and gently pushed her head onto his chest.

"Miroku! I-"

"You asked me to sleep with you. Unless you would like to be under the tree, I believe I must be here to accomplish that. And I swear I won't do anything "perverted"."

"And you better not, or you're a dead houshi." With that settled, Kagome snuggled up into him and whispered, "Good night Miroku."

"Good night Kagome. Sweet dreams."

And she did.

A/N: Wow!! I'm done with it. I'm so proud of myself... sniff Not bad for a first fic, don't you think? And it's six pages too. Not bad...


	4. Selfish

**Story Title: **Selfish

**Author: **Quickening**  
  
****Disclaimer: **You think I own Inuyasha? Boy, why can't we all have fantasies like that?  
**  
****Story Summary: **Kagome has a nightmare. Miroku comforts her. They talk about it, and come to a surprising conclusion. Hopefully, the story is a hell of a lot better than my summary is. Beware descriptions of violence, possible language, and angst. Oh. And there'll be some fluffy goodness somewhere in this thing, too. Somewhere

**Rating:** R

* * *

Everything was ruin.

Destruction, as far as the eye could see; desecrated forests; razed and blackened fields; lakes and rivers filled with sluggish liquid that could no longer be described as water, or so parched that their beds cracked like the skin of mummified corpses; a sky the color of blood pulsing with heavy clouds the color of soot; and bodies. Bodies were lying everywhere; twisted, grotesque corpses, human, youkai, and animal alike, misshapen and deformed, as though even after death they sought to writhe with the agony that had consumed them.

She stood alone in the middle of this field of horror, and was too numb to feel sick at the images it presented her. In one hand, she clenched her bow, now a useless stick of wood, snapped clean in two. In the other was loosely clutched a single arrow, sputtering with the remaining sparks of her exhausted power. Her eyes, open yet unseeing, were fixed upon the bodies lying closest to her.

A small child with fox-colored hair and supple tail, now scorched and matted with drying blood; his bright, mischievous green eyes now glazed over with death; his expressive face frozen in an illustration of horror as the echoes of his agonized screams forever lingered in the burning air. Being the smallest and weakest, he had been the first of their little group to fall, and she knew she would forever suffer beneath heavy guilt of her failure to protect the one who had always looked up to her as Mother.

There lay an elderly lady, still clutching her useless bow, her single eye open and narrowed and her lined and aged features determined; ever the proud and noble miko, certain of their victory over evil even though half of her own body had already been brutally ripped away by a razor-edged tentacle.

A young woman lay crumpled among shattered armor and the remains of slain youkai; a testament to her own fierce and violent struggle before the lances of bone had pierced her from behind, binding her to the fire-baked earth in some grotesque parody of a pincushion. Beside her, half on top of her, curled the mangled form of her loyal companion, fur matted and burnt, the long, sharp tusks of her fangs shorn clean off, determined to the last breath to protect her beloved mistress from harm, although the life had fled the human's body long before the youkai finally surrendered hers.

And finally, the young man with amber-gold eyes and flowing hair that had once been the purest white, but now rivaled the crimson of his robes for color, rested at her feet, stabbed through with his own sword, pinning him to the ground. The enchanted weapon still somehow held its transformation even though breath no longer passed through its owner's lips, and the lifeblood continued to pour out of him into the dirt in an ever-widening pool. His face frozen in a contortion of surprise and agony, his open eyes stared up at her, reproachful, condemning. _You failed. You failed. This is all your fault. You failed…_ they accused over and over, so that she was forced to tear her eyes away from that dead gaze in order to keep the weight of it from dragging her to her knees.

There was one other, she knew. There should have been another lying there, dead, but he was gone. He'd been the last to fall, killed by his own hand as the black hole he carried in his palm finally cracked and split and consumed him entirely, leaving not even a body to prove he ever existed. His eyes, too, she could still feel burning into her, a gaze of betrayal and disappointment. _Why? _he had seemed to ask her, even as his mouth remained frozen around agonized screams while the Kazana literally ripped his body apart. _Why didn't you keep your promise? Why did you have to let us die? Why didn't _you_ die? How do _you_ deserve to live when you are the one who _let us all die_?!_

"It's not my fault!" she screamed, clapping her hands over her ears, although it did nothing to drown out the voices. "It's not my fault!"

_Oh, but it is,_ came the disembodied reply; a deep voice like honey and velvet and the slick, deadly hiss of scales on a coiled serpent. _You made a promise to complete the Shikon no Tama and look what happened. You failed, and now everybody is dead. The earth is dead, and the one who killed it still roams free. And it is all…your…fault._

And Kagome, finally overwhelmed by the weight of the guilt and the agony and the sorrow that consumed her, fell to her knees with her hands fisted in her hair, loosing the hot tears that ran like blood down her face, and screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

* * *

"_KAGOME!_"

She awoke mid-shriek, her body involuntarily jerking itself upward, instinctively struggling to escape the tight, bruising grip that something held on her arms. Her throat burned with the force of her cries, her chest heaving as she gulped in deep gasps of air. Her eyes were wide and wild, blinded by tears and the firelight and her own terror as her mind sought to escape the lingering remnants of the nightmare.

Slowly, soothingly, a rich, deep voice began to penetrate her stricken countenance—a voice similar yet oh-so-different from the taunting, whispery snake-voice in her head—and she very gradually began to relax as her mind finally caught up with her surroundings. There was no more razed, ruined land; she was in the middle of the forest, could smell the rich, earthy scent of the trees and the bushes and the mossy ground beneath her. The air was cool upon her flushed face, the crackling of a campfire reached her ears, and above that, the dearly familiar voice continually murmured soothing nonsense into her ear. She realized a moment later that she was being held, cradled in a protective embrace, like a very small child in need of comfort. She was sitting in someone's lap with her legs draped sideways over theirs, one hand on her shoulders to pull her close to a warm, solid chest, as the other pressed her head to rest beneath a strong chin, stroking gently through her hair. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep, shuddering breath, knowing even before she smelt the scent of green tea and black ink, or felt the press of rosary beads against her arm, who it was that held her.

"Miroku-sama," she croaked out, her voice hoarse and throat sore from all her screaming. Shame immediately overwhelmed her as she imagined what it must have looked like, her screaming and thrashing like the possessed over something as silly as a nightmare. But—and she shivered involuntarily at the memories the word invoked—what a truly horrifying nightmare it had been.

"Kagome-sama," the monk replied, keeping his voice soft and gentle. "Are you well now?"

"I-I'm fine," she replied stiffly, not quite able to keep the quaver out of her voice as a new emotion—the utter relief that she was awake from that horror-vision and that her friends were all still alive and well—threatened to spill more hot tears from her eyes.

"I think not," the man argued gently, keeping his grip firm as she sought to pull away from him. "You're shivering like a terrified rabbit."

"Shut up," she muttered, ducking her head to hide the flush in her cheeks. He laughed softly, to her bemusement.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, and was answered with a massive shudder that shook her entire body. "I guess not," he added, gazing at the small girl in his lap pityingly.

"Where is Inuyasha?" she asked hoarsely, looking blearily around their camp. Sango and Shippou weren't with them this time around, Sango having taken Kirara to scout out the terrain a few miles ahead, and Shippou having decided to go with her simply because watching Inuyasha and Kagome constantly bicker had become less than exciting after all this time. Which had turned out to be a good thing, after all, since witnessing his surrogate mother screaming like all the fires of Naraku were burning at her heels would have undoubtedly sent the poor little kit into a frenzy of terror. At any rate, it was now simply the three of them…except that three had obviously dwindled down to two with the lack of the hanyou in his usual roost in the trees.

Miroku hesitated. "Inuyasha left sometime after dusk," he replied, choosing his words carefully. "You were already asleep." She didn't ask where he had gone off to, and Miroku was relieved. He hadn't the heart to tell her that just before the hanyou's disappearance, a ghostly Shinidamachuu had drifted past them just outside the campsite.

Then again, it didn't seem to matter; one look at her saddened countenance and Miroku realized that she already knew where Inuyasha was.

He sought to keep a reign on his temper, cursing the other man in his mind. Hadn't the poor girl suffered _enough_ for one night? He knew very well that it should have been Inuyasha who held Kagome in his arms, protecting her from the visions that had terrorized her. _He_ was the one Kagome loved, after all. But because of the idiot's inability to let go of the past once and for all, Kagome had been left abandoned to the imaginings of her own mind, left to scream and cry and shake with fear, seeking comfort that would not come. Miroku could _not_ leave her alone; her cries had shaken something in him that he thought he'd kept carefully buried, a sense of fierce protectiveness that he knew he had no right to be feeling over somebody else's woman…even if that somebody else didn't appear to want her.

Very well, then. If that was how it would be played out, then who was he to ignore a damsel so obviously in distress, Miroku thought grimly as he cradled Kagome's form in his arms. He would offer her all the comfort he could, poor as it might be, and even if it didn't come from the one she truly wanted, hopefully it would be enough to ease her troubles, if only for awhile.

So he sat there, swallowing the questions that rose to his tongue, certain that when Kagome was ready to speak, she would. He made sure his hands stayed in the proper places, not wanting to upset her further with his usual habit of groping, and she seemed to take comfort in the fact that he was behaving himself, for she no longer protested at being held in his lap. Rather, she let her body slump against him in weariness, her head tucked under his chin as her soft hair tickled his throat. To say that Miroku rather enjoyed having her cuddled so quietly and trustingly in his lap was like stating the blatantly obvious fact that water was wet, and he was loathe to do anything to drive her away from him. So much so, that he found himself barely breathing lest he accidentally stir the memory as to exactly whom it was that was holding her so intimately.

True, his back had a bit of a crick in it where he pressed up against the uneven trunk of a tree, and his legs were beginning to tingle ominously in the places where her soft weight was slowly putting them to sleep. But that was a small price to pay for such a treasured moment, and even those discomforts were forgotten when she shifted, raised her head and looked up at him through huge, night-shadowed eyes that still glittered with the traces of tears on her lashes. He suddenly felt as though he'd just taken a blow to the heart…from Inuyasha's fist.

"Miroku-sama, what is it that you're most afraid of?" she asked him, so quietly that her voice barely passed beyond a whisper.

He was startled; the question had been completely unexpected, and he was not prepared to answer such an intimate query. He faltered for a moment; it was on the tip of his tongue to toss out some flippant reply as he always did when faced with such personal issues, but the sadness on her face gave him pause. She was obviously very serious about this, and he owed it to her, he supposed, to give her a serious answer. Besides, he suspected that her question had more to do with her nightmare than she was prepared to admit, and he still longed to ease those troubling memories from her heart.

When he didn't answer right away, Kagome carefully picked up his hand—the cursed hand that loosely clutched her elbow—and drew his arm over her shoulder to bring the covered appendage before her. Miroku sucked in a breath in spite of himself when she held it between her own, showing not a glimmer of fear as she examined it, lightly tracing her finger over the bespelled beads, the only thing which held the raging monster at bay. "You're afraid of the Kazana, aren't you?" she guessed. "Y-you're afraid of the day when it…when you…" She choked on the words, unable to continue.

Miroku's eyes softened at her distress, and he gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze. "I do not fear the Kazana," he told her softly. "I've long ago accepted the fact that it may end my life one day. By accepting this fact, and preparing for it, I have no need to be afraid."

She looked up at him suspiciously, as though suspecting him of a lie, but he was the very picture of sincerity as he gazed back at her. She looked down again. "Then what is it that you do fear?" she asked. "You do fear something, don't you?" Her tone of voice suggested that she _needed_ to know what that might be, although he could not begin to fathom why. But he was finding, much to his consternation, that he was unable to deny Kagome-sama anything she requested of him, even if it meant sacrificing his pride in the process. But what was pride anyway, compared to easing her troubled soul?

"Yes," he finally admitted on a breath. "There is one thing I fear." His cursed hand clenched convulsively for a moment, and then relaxed as Kagome stroked the back of it soothingly, turning it over to cup her soft little palm within his own. "I do fear the Kazana," he admitted, "but not for what it might one day do to me. I fear of what it might afterwards do to others." _To you,_ was his unvoiced meaning.

"To others?" He heard the puzzled frown in her voice, her head tilting curiously to one side, and instinctively he lowered his face so that his rough cheek grazed her soft one, gazing at her hand resting so trustingly within his own. So small, so frail…the thought of those fragile bones being crushed, being consumed by the black hole was enough to make him sick, and he abruptly tore his hand from beneath hers and stuffed it beneath his robes, hiding it from her innocent gaze. She looked up, twisting her head to meet his eyes, startled. "M-Miroku-sama…?"

He gritted his teeth, suddenly wanting to run away, wishing that there was some way to change the subject, but somehow unable to do so. "When…if…I am consumed by the Kazana," he began in a low, tight, painful voice, "what is to stop it from…from growing completely out of control?"

A sudden widening of her eyes; she understood, then, what he meant. What he feared. That, after he was gone, the Kazana would not simply disappear as his father's had, but would continue to rage and grow and swallow everything in its path, everything and everyone, until there was nothing left to consume, nothing but the empty blackness of itself. He feared the destruction of the entire planet, of life itself.

Just like she did.

She drew in a deep breath at the realization, and almost without realizing it, whispered, "We-we're exactly the same."

"What?"

She turned to look at him again, into his startled eyes, and managed a weak smile. "We both fear the same thing," she explained shakily. Before he could pry her for explanation, she continued hoarsely, "In my nightmare…the earth was destroyed. All of it. There was nothing but death. The mission had…failed. Naraku took the jewel, he finished it, and he wished for the destruction of life. I…I watched all of you die…" Here she choked a bit at the memories, and Miroku squeezed her hand in an effort to remind her that he was still there, still very much alive.

"I couldn't do anything but…but _stand_ there. Just…stand there while you all died in…horrible, horrible ways! And then there was nobody left, and I was the only one alive and…and...you kept demanding to know why I was still alive because it was all my fault that you were dead because I _failed_ and…and…" She began to choke on the sobs that tried to escape through her words, and Miroku forgot what little propriety he was attempting to maintain as he pulled her closer to him, turning her so that she was flush against his chest, her face buried in his neck as she trembled with renewed sobs. He closed his eyes sorrowfully as he embraced her fully, one hand stroking soothingly over her back while the other tangled itself in her thick, soft hair. Strangely enough, not a single thought of groping her ever crossed his mind. Even _he_ understood when best to keep inappropriate gestures to himself.

"It was only a nightmare, Kagome," he murmured, his lips brushing her hair. Appropriate or not, he couldn't bring himself to call her "sama" just now. It was too impersonal for such an intimate situation, and the fact that she didn't protest greatly encouraged him. "It hasn't happened," he added firmly. "It's never _going_ to happen, so banish that dream from your mind. Ease your heart, Kagome. Please?"

"But how do you know?" she choked. "W-we're so close to the end…only a few shards left and…and _he_ still has most of the Shikon no Tama and what if it wasn't a dream? What if it was a…a _premonition?_"

He winced; in truth, that was entirely possible. She was a miko, after all, no matter how untrained she might be. To have a vision wasn't entirely unheard of…

But in the next moment, he mentally smacked himself for having such dire thoughts. He was supposed to be _comforting_ her fears, damn it, not offering them encouragement!

"Kagome," he began, gently chiding as he tilted her chin up to meet her gaze. "Have you ever had a premonition like that in all the time we've been traveling together?"

Something in his tone must have reached her, because she suddenly looked a little sheepish. "Well…not exactly," she mumbled. "Although…there _was_ that one time when I dreamt I'd fail a major history test and I _did_. History! Which I'm practically _living_ right now!"

Miroku forced a lighthearted laugh and pulled her close to him again, nuzzling his face against her hair. "When did you become so pessimistic?" he asked teasingly, desperately attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

"Since I saw all of my friends dying in front of my eyes," came the muttered response, and he sighed. Well, nobody could say he hadn't _tried_…

"Kagome," he began reasonably, "as I understand Time, it's something of a paradox, is it not? What happens in _my_ future has already happened in _your_ future."

"Yeah…" she murmured sleepily. Then, abruptly she sat up and shot him a perplexed glance. "Wait…run that by me again?"

He chuckled again, this time in genuine amusement. "What I mean is, if Naraku had succeeded in destroying the world in _this_ time, there wouldn't be a world in the first place in _yours_, now would there? Therefore, you never would have been born, so you never would have come back through the well, the jewel would never have shattered, and none of this would have ever happened. And yet, if none of this had happened, Naraku wouldn't have been able to destroy the world in the first place, which means you would have been born, and come back through the well, and…"

"Miroku…sama?"

He paused at the pitiful whimper and blinked down at her. "Eh…yes?"

She heaved a sigh and slumped against him, shaking her head back and forth against his chest. "My brain is about to spontaneously combust. Could you maybe…not talk anymore?" she pleaded, eliciting another warm laugh.

"As you wish," he murmured, smiling down at her fondly. "But I do hope you see my point about this entire world-being-destroyed thing…"

She snorted. "Same thing applies to you," she retorted through a sudden yawn. "If your Kazana had managed to suck in the world, would I be sitting here right now?"

He blinked, then laughed. "Now that's not very kind of you, throwing my own words back in my face," he admonished teasingly, earning a little grin in reply. Ancestors, but he couldn't remember the last time he'd allowed himself to laugh so much! It felt…good. It felt good—_wonderful_, in fact—to be sitting there with Kagome, simply teasing and laughing and…he suddenly hoped that Inuyasha wouldn't return for a good, long while yet. If the hanyou was too dense to realize just what a good thing he was missing out on…well…Miroku certainly didn't feel any urge to enlighten him.

Weariness seemed to be catching up to Kagome; she was leaning heavily against him now with her hands fisted loosely in the fabric of his sleeves, completely relaxed and obviously trusting that he could, just this once, keep his wandering hands to himself. He felt rather touched that she was leaving herself so vulnerable in his presence, but then again, she _was_ pretty shaken, and obviously in need of comfort. He tried not to resent the fact that things would have been different had Inuyasha been there, only to quickly reassure himself of the fact that, even if Inuyasha _had_ been, she still might have taken refuge in Miroku's arms anyway, since the hanyou was never one for open displays of affection no matter what the circumstances were.

He felt Kagome release a huge yawn, felt her full breasts pressing into his chest as her lungs expanded…and gulped at the abrupt surge of arousal that shot straight into his loins. He gritted his teeth against the sudden, uncomfortable pressure swelling between his legs, praying that his self-control wouldn't snap. Of _all_ the times for his traitorous body to act up, he thought with a near-silent moan. And he'd been doing so _well_, too!

His fingers twitched with the urge to move _much_ lower down on her back than their current chaste position. She was _right there_, in perfect alignment! All he needed to do was slip them down over her side and…he restrained himself with the swift reminder that as soon as he touched her inappropriately, she would most likely remove her delicious body from his lap (although, given the pressure of her soft weight against a certain _part_ of said lap, that wasn't a _bad_ thing). Not only that, but she would no doubt follow _that_ up by delivering a black eye or two in retaliation, and he really didn't wish to wander around half-blind for the next few days.

"Is something wrong?" Kagome's concerned voice snapped Miroku out of his deliberation and he glanced down at her in surprise, only to notice a worried frown etched on her brow. Obviously, she had sensed that something was amiss, even though she didn't appear to realize what was wrong (bless her innocence). However, he realized with a nervous gulp, if she happened to shift in _just_ the right place, she'd be finding out the hard way _(cough_) exactly what the problem was.

"N-nothing's wrong, Kagome-sama," he began as innocently as possible. "I was just thinking that you appear to be rather tired. Perhaps you should retire to your bedroll until morning comes so you can catch up on your sleep?"

Kagome's eyes darkened slightly at the suggestion; she seemed not at all pleased at the idea of sleeping again. Poor girl probably feared another nightmare as bad as the first, he thought pityingly.

"Miroku-sama?" Her questioning voice once again interrupted his musings, and he glanced down at her as she looked away in a useless attempt to hide the faint blush in her cheeks. "W-would you mind terribly if I…if I stayed where I am?"

The earth could have exploded right under him and he wouldn't have been more surprised. Kagome was _willingly_ volunteering to sit with him in his _lap?_

_All night long?_

Surely, now _he_ was the one who must be dreaming!

His incredulousness must have shown on his face, because the corners of her mouth tightened briefly and she moved as if to push herself up and away from him. "Right. That was a stupid question," she stated around a half-hearted and obviously forced giggle. "I doubt it's very comfortable for you to sit like that and your legs are probably asleep by now and…"

A pair of arms interrupted her ramblings quite effectively as they wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her back into his warm embrace. "On the contrary," he murmured teasingly, "I happen to be quite comfortable." True, his legs were completely numb, but that was a small price to pay for the pleasure of her body pressed so closely to his. He was, however, extremely careful about how he adjusted said body, not wanting her to figure out exactly how _much_ he was enjoying her presence. Allowing a small smirk, he positioned her so that her legs were draped over his lap, one on either side to straddle him, making sure to shift her lower half down further on his legs while pulling her upper half closer to lie against his chest. This served the duel purpose of keeping her lap far enough away from his so that she couldn't possibly feel any…mysterious lumps that might set her to gouging out his eyeballs, and yet close enough so he could fully enjoy the delicious curves of her soft breasts pressing into his chest. "There," he said lightly. "Quite comfortable."

She grimaced. "For _you_, maybe," she muttered. "What am I, an afghan? Stretching me out like that…" Muttering to herself, she scooted closer to him, eliciting a bit of panic on his part when her buttocks landed firmly on his tense thighs, directly over his rather prominent erection. He closed his eyes, prayed to Buddha, and waited for the raging violence to begin.

What happened instead was that Kagome slipped her arms around his chest, nestled her head against his pectoral, sighed deeply, and settled in for a nap. Miroku felt a vein twitch in his forehead, while something else twitched…lower down. Merciful Buddha, the girl couldn't possibly be _that_ naïve…could she? And while he didn't particularly _mind_ being wedged together like one of those sandwiches she often brought with her to snack on, his self-control _really_ couldn't take much more pressure like this…

"Miroku-sama…?" Kagome's sleepy voice jerked him out of his raging thoughts like a bucket of ice water thrown directly over his lap.

"Y-yes, what is it, Kagome-sama?" he replied, his voice coming out oddly strained.

If she noticed at all, she didn't say anything. "Is…do you think it's selfish…for a person to…not want to be alone?" she questioned, her voice rising barely above a murmur, soft and husky and sleepy.

Miroku gritted his teeth until they nearly cracked. _Stop…talking…like…that…_

The poor monk was going to need a _long_ dip under the waterfall before this night was over…

"I think…it is human nature to not want to be alone," he replied carefully. "If that is selfishness, you are no more selfish than I."

Her brow furrowed slightly as she frowned thoughtfully. "So…is it selfish to want to be with one person…and another person at the same time?"

He froze, glancing down at the top of her head. "What do…?" His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat and tried again. "Wh-what do _you_ think, Kagome-sama?"

He could practically feel her frown as she thought quietly for a moment. "I used to think so," she finally replied. "I used to think Inuyasha was…incredibly selfish. For wanting two people at the same time." She mentioned no names, but then again, she didn't need to.

Behind her back, his hands clenched into fists at the mention of _that name_. "But now?" Because there was obviously a "but" somewhere in this. She shrugged lightly and sighed heavily. He gritted his teeth and _really_ wished she'd stop doing that…

"Now…I think maybe…I can understand a little better how Inuyasha feels…"

His heart thudded against his chest. Hard. He knew she could feel it against her cheek. "Is that right?" he murmured, trying very hard to keep his hopes from skyrocketing…and failing miserably. She nodded once, keeping her face carefully lowered from his, but he could still see the color burning in her cheek through the silken hair that swept across it, and his desire grew. "And why is that?" he murmured, suddenly not-so-afraid anymore. He pushed aside the strands of hair with his cursed hand, tucking them gently behind her ear. She glanced up at him nervously, then away again. He smiled.

"Perhaps it is selfish to desire two people at the same time," he began gently, "but only if that desire hurts one or both of those people. Otherwise, I don't believe it is selfish to desire…companionship. Humans were never meant to be alone, after all."

She nodded slowly, as if thinking it over.

"Why the questions, Kagome," he murmured. "Is there…somebody _you_ desire? Aside from Inuyasha, that is…"

She jumped a little as if caught off-guard, then frantically shook her head, but it was more of a knee-jerk reaction and she stopped immediately. "Well…um…maybe," she amended, a bit sheepishly. "Wh-what about you?"

His lips curled into a smirk. "Come now, Kagome," he purred. "You should know me well enough to know the answer to _that_ question."

He expected her to realize that he was teasing, in regards to his little…addiction to women, and was therefore surprised when her shoulders suddenly slumped. "Right," she replied with a little laugh. "Sango, of course."

He blinked. Sango? Funny…thoughts of the demon slayer hadn't even crossed his mind lately. More importantly… He glanced down at the girl in his lap, lips curling upward. _Could she be…?_

"Actually, no," he stated in well-feigned surprise, causing _her_ to glance up in genuine surprise. Their eyes locked, and his lids lowered to cover a darkening gaze. "It isn't _Sango_ that I've had on my mind lately…" he murmured, allowing his lips to curl into a sensual smirk. And he shifted his hips beneath her, lifting them ever-so-slightly into her body, to make sure she could _feel_ the meaning behind his words.

Her eyes widened, and the color in her face grew more pronounced. "Oh," she squeaked.

His smile deepened, and suddenly, she found herself on her back in the moss, with him sprawling over her, his hands tangled in her hair and her back cradled in his arms; his face was only inches from hers. "Kagome…" Her name was a mantra on his lips, and her heart began to pound. "Perhaps we are both very selfish at times. That is also human nature." He silenced her soft protest with his mouth, urging her into stillness as he plied her lips in a drugging kiss. His breathing had deepened when he finally lifted his mouth from hers; his eyes were nearly as black as the sky above them, and glittered with just as much starlight. "If we both insist on being selfish," he continued in his deep, soft voice, "then perhaps we might both be content…to be selfish together."

He waited with bated breath for her response; watched her face, soft and vulnerable with the firelight and shadows that danced across it. And when she slowly lifted her head from the ground to press a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, he very nearly wept with relief.

It was all the encouragement he needed.

* * *

As the moon waned and the sun touched the sky with glowing fingers, dawn found the monk and the miko curled together in a tangle of limbs and clothes and sated desire, deeply sleeping and more relaxed than either of them could ever remember feeling, had they been awake to think it over.

So did a certain hanyou, as he stole silently into the camp, trying not to look as guilty as he felt after having spent yet another night speaking with the beloved miko of his past. There wasn't any harm in just _talking_ to her, he told himself…although he knew very well that Kagome did not feel the same way about that.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the first sight of the heap of bodies; his nose told him what had happened even before his eyes did, as it was assaulted with the combined scents of Kagome and Miroku and the sex they'd obviously had. Together.

His hackles rose and a low snarl rose in his throat as he stalked over to them, fully prepared to rip Miroku's throat out through his knees for daring to lay one perverted finger on _his_ Kagome.

But…something stopped him.

They lay there, curled together in a lover's embrace, oblivious to Miroku's rising doom, and they looked…content. At ease. As if nothing in the world could ever go wrong again. Or, if it did, as if they could face it down and conquer it together.

The clawed hand that had risen to strike the deadly blow wavered, hesitated, and then dropped limply to the hanyou's side as he stood there gazing down at the pair. In particular, at Kagome, as she lay draped like a limp cat over Miroku's prone form beneath the robe spread over them, her hair a mass of tangles and her pale face utterly composed and peaceful. She sighed and turned to bury her nose in the man's bare chest, snuggling into him before relaxing again, a soft smile curling faintly at her lips.

_Did…did she ever look like that when she was with me?_

The thought struck him a blow, like his brother's claws piercing his chest, and he abruptly turned and staggered away from the scene, feeling vaguely sick. He leaned against a tree, resting his forehead on his forearm as he breathed deeply, and tried to block out thoughts of Kagome writhing beneath Miroku's body, calling Miroku's name, coming for the first time in Miroku's arms.

The tree shuddered as Inuyasha's fist made a six-inch hole in its trunk.

_It should have been me. It was supposed to have been _me_!_ he howled silently.

_And it could have been, _another nasty thought occurred to him. If he had been there, it could have been. Whatever had driven Kagome to seek _that_ kind of comfort in Miroku's arms, if he had just been there, perhaps he _would_ have been the one to kiss her and hold her and make her climax in his arms over and over again.

But he hadn't been. He had been with _her_, and Kagome…she had finally grown tired of waiting for him to make a decision about what he really wanted.

She had finally made it _for_ him, and he…he had finally lost her.

And he knew, as much as he wanted to deny it, that he had nobody but himself to blame.

As the sun continued to rise over the trees, the hanyou crept away into the forest to release his anguish on the hapless trees, alone, leaving the pair of lovers to rest in their contentment until the first lances of sunlight began to pierce the canopy of the forest above them.

_End_

_"…the little dog lay curled and did not rise,  
But slept the deeper as the ashes rose.  
And found the people incomplete, and froze  
The random hands, the loose, unready eyes  
Of men expecting yet another sun  
To do the shapely thing they had not done.  
These sudden ends of time must give us pause.  
We stray into the future rarely wrought  
Save in the tapestries of afterthought…"  
From "Year's End" by Richard Wilbur  
_

* * *

_Coughs So. That's it. There may be a lemon insert between the time Miroku begins to…uh…"comfort" Kagome and the time Inuyasha finds them, but I'll save that for later. Like, after the contest. Besides, it isn't written yet._

_As for the poem…er…I dunno. I was finishing this up and suddenly those lines just popped into my head and I thought…well, why not? Besides, I love poetry, and I love that poem, and those particular lines actually kinda fit from Inuyasha's point of view at the end there. Kinda. At least in my warped mind it does. ; Basically what it's saying is don't keep putting things off 'cause, well…you snooze, you lose. And…well…Inuyasha unfortunately lost._

_Anyway, hope you all enjoyed reading this. I really enjoyed writing it. _

_Quickening _


	5. Raindrops

Story Title: Raindrops

Author: IYWriterGirl

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!

Story Summary: Kagome dreams about everyone's demise, and only our favorite houshi can help her in this her time of need.

Rating: PG -13

_- - - - - - - - - - -Kagome's Dream - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -___

_Raindrops silently fall down my face. I am aware of them, mixed with tears, yet I do nothing. I miss the everything I had, so much. I look up into the storm filled sky and slowly close my eyes. I hear the thunder boom, yet I do not open my eyes. Because I realize if I do. They truly will be gone. And the raindrops fall down my face, and darkness consumes me.___

_When I open my eyes I see the wet battlegrounds where everyone fought. I look at Inuyasha's body. His head lay at his feet, eyes open. Maggots eat away at the decapitated head, as blood poors out of his still body. I soon find myself throwing up as I see Shippo in blood covered pieces, scattered over the bloody wasteland battleground.___

_I scream as I fall to my knees, ontop of Miroku's body, almost completely barren of skin. I see his muscles and blood and bones, and sob into Sango's kimono, as she hugs me, before she too dies in my arms. And I'm left completely alone...___

_- - - - - - - - - - - end nightmare - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ___

3rd Person -

Kagome woke up, tears falling down her face, and screaming. She blinked and looked around, noticing Inuyasha gone, everyone except Miroku sleeping, and Kikyo's soul stealers in the sky.

"Mi.. mi.. Miroku?"Kagome asked shaking. Miroku looked over at the yoing miko.

"Are you alright, Lady Kagome? Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, inching his way towards her.

"Mi.. Miroku... ev.. everyone.. di.. died.. they.. le... left me.. You left me..." Kagome managed between sobs, before bursting into full-fledged tears. The houshi moved to her side and moved her into his lap. He held her as she calmed down, while rubbing circles on her back.

"Miroku? Thank.. you... I'm.. falling for you..." Kagome said quietly, before sleep once again took over. Miroku pulled her closer, planted a kiss on her forehead and sighed.

"I'm falling for you too, Kagome... if only the persistent hanyou would let you go..." Miroku whispereed to the wind, as raindrops began to fall over the now sleeping camp.

- - - - - - - - - - End - - - - - - - - - - -


	6. Opposites

[ T i t l e ] Opposites  
[ A u t h o r ] Morbidity  
[ D i s c l a i m e r ] I do not own Inuyasha.  
[ S t o r y S u m m a r y ] Miroku's worst nightmare ends up being his dream come true. And somewhere in between there's some snogging and actual plot.  
[ R a t i n g ] PG-13  
[ A u t h o r' s N o t e ] This isn't my best work and I submitted it approximately an hour or two before the deadline but meh. I wanted to do something slightly humorous as opposed to all the depressing ones about everyone dying. It didn't exactly turn out that way. Anyway, enjoy!......

* * *

Miroku sighed happily and made sure to follow the well-worn dirt path closely. Taking in a deep breath of crisp, clean air, he mused over his luck. After weeks he'd finally been able to slip away from the group without a concussion from Sango or a dirty look from Kagome. A nice meander through a village he was never going to see again was precisely what he needed at the moment.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when he discovered a young woman at a well out of the corner of his eye. Glancing left and right for any sign of male companionship, he strolled over to her fighting off an evil smirk.  
  
"Greetings," he announced as he neared, a deceptively reassuring smile set on his features.  
  
She swung to meet him, a flash of fear shining deep in her deer-like brown eyes, "Do you mean me harm, stranger?" she managed, voice shaking in uncertainty.  
  
He held up his hands and stepped back a bit, "Calm yourself. I am but a lowly, destitute monk, traveling from village to village. Presently, I'm in search of a well from which I may drink."  
  
Her features softened and she nodded, finding his answer acceptable. As he approached her, she meekly slid over so he would have room to sit, a nervous blush blanketing her features. Her eyes were fixed on the ground and her hands trembled violently and fumbled as she pulled weakly at the rope that held the bucket dangling at the bottom of the well.  
  
He took this time to study her. Her figure was decent. It was nothing special but he'd seen worse, much worse. She appeared very young but looks were often deceiving. Her eyes, however, were what captivated him. A soft brown, they were large and wide and glittered with innocence. When she looked at him, his heart upped a beat. Yes, she would do.  
  
"So," he said, voice warm and reassuring, "What is a beautiful young lady like you doing out here all alone?"  
  
A small smile invaded her features and the blush deepened, "We're always alone. None of the villages will accept people like us. They find us disgusting. We've been run out of countless towns. We're treated like a curse, no better than lowly demons."  
  
His brows furrowed in confusion, "We?" he asked.  
  
Before she could answer there was a stirring in the undergrowth nearby. In a split second a young shapely woman shot out of the surrounding forest and knelt at the other girl's side. This new woman held the other tight and brought her head to rest on her breast, whispering reassurances to her.  
  
"I'm sorry for leaving you," she said, voice low and soothing as she petted her hair, "I'm so glad you're all right."  
  
With that she turned and glared sharply at Miroku. He noticed her eyes. They were narrow and fierce, exactly opposite of the other woman, and yet they were equally as exotic and intriguing. A bow and a quiver of arrows rested securely on her back. She reminded him a great deal of Sango, beautiful but deadly.  
  
"What business have you here?" she demanded, eyes burning into him.  
  
"Please," he said, employing one of his many assuring tones, "I am here only to drink from this well."  
  
Her glare remained but the suspicion shining deep in her eyes died out, "Leave us at once," she ordered, voice icy but calm, "I have no reason to believe that you are not a spy sent from a nearby village. They would like nothing better to find us and burn us at the stake."  
  
The confusion returned, breaking the dam it had been hiding behind and flooding throughout his body, "I don't understand. Why would any village be after you?"  
  
Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, betraying her outward cool and in control composure, "You mean you don't know?"  
  
"Know what?" he asked, completely bewildered at this point as to what he had gotten himself into and wishing in the back of his mind that he could just go home, regardless of the concussions and dirty looks that were waiting for him there.  
  
The young one with the wide eyes chose this moment to speak. She was shy however and the blush on her cheeks remained as she tightened her arms around her companion, "We're in love," she said weakly before falling silent once again.  
  
Outwardly, he did not show his surprise as he rose to leave, "I'm sorry," he started solemnly, "I did not realize. I will not trouble you any further."  
  
'What a waste' he thought mournfully, 'Two perfectly decent female specimens.' He sighed deeply and retraced his steps back to the group. As he went he thanked Buddha for his strictly heterosexual female companions.  
  
When he reached camp a little later all he found was a brooding Inuyasha and an overly hyper Shippou.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked warily, bringing the half demon out of his stupor, "Where are the girls?"  
  
"Beats me," he answered, pout brought on by boredom set on features, "They ran off through that forest about an hour ago to go do something. I forget what it was. They should be back soon."  
  
After giving Shippou an affectionate pat on the head, Miroku turned in the direction Inuyasha had referred too, leaving the half demon alone to sulk once again. He walked on, lost in his thoughts. It was a long shot but perhaps if he caught one of the girls alone he could sweet-talk them into some fooling around. He knew Sango would be particularly willing which was appropriate because if he tried anything on Kagome, Inuyasha would have his head. He sighed. Kagome was such a sweet and supple little thing and she was so very neglected by that evil half demon.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by low voices coming from a clearing nearby. Stealthily and with great caution, he crept over to the line of bushes, weeds and other various types of vegetation. He parted the high grass just enough so that he could see but not be seen. As he had predicted, he discovered a peaceful little clearing. Through it ran a humble brook that sparkled in the high noon sun. About ten feet away from him sat Sango and Kagome, deep in conversation.  
  
"Men are so annoying," he heard Kagome say, voice tired.  
  
"I agree," Sango replied, eyes closed tranquilly, Kirara purring at her side.  
  
Kagome sighed deeply and shrugged, "Especially Miroku. I mean he gropes our private areas and then smirks like it's supposed to be the best thing that ever happened to us. Truth is I wouldn't let that poor excuse for a monk touch me with a ten foot pole."  
  
From where Miroku was watching, his heart caught in his throat. Ok maybe he'd deserved that, but he'd never expected Kagome to say it. He knew that everyone in the group resented him a bit, except maybe Shippou, but deep down somewhere he'd thought that Kagome actually cared about him. He felt betrayed and lied to. He felt inexplicably sad.  
  
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Sango agreed with an amused tone, "He thinks he's all suave. It makes me sick when he even looks at me."  
  
Kagome offered Sango a tired smile, "That's why I'm so glad I have you," she said, voice melting into an endearing tone and she entwined her fingers with Sango's.  
  
Sango smiled brightly and turned to face Kagome, "I love you," she whispered.  
  
"I love you too," Kagome replied in the same manner before leaning in for a sweet, gentle kiss.  
  
Miroku clamped his eyes shut and turned away, blocking out the very image of his worst nightmare come true. Breathing heavily and sweating hard, he shot up into a sitting position. He opened his eyes, surprised at coming face to face with the black night.  
  
"Miroku? Did you hear me?"  
  
He swung to face her, eyes flashing with what looked to be panic and fear. Kagome. Kagome was here, next to him.  
  
She tightened her grip on his arm, "Miroku you were having a-."  
  
She was cut off by lips, by his lips, his pleading lips, pressed against her own. He grasped her shoulders almost painfully but she didn't notice. At first she tried to resist but that lasted about a second as he employed every bit of skill he'd ever acquired to kiss her breathless.  
  
Just as abruptly as he'd kissed her, he pulled back, searching her features, still soaked with sweat.  
  
"Kagome?" he asked, voice the most desperate she'd ever heard from him, "Kagome I need you to be honest with me. Did you enjoy that?"  
  
She blushed deeply and lowered her eyes to the ground in slight embarrassment, "W-well," she stammered, "Y-yea of course."  
  
His eyes slid shut and he sighed deeply in relief, saying a quick prayer under his breath before collapsing back into his jumbled sheets.   
  
Just as soon as he'd lain down, he shot up again, contemplative look set on his features. He turned to her and took her by the shoulders once again, "You," he said, "Are Kagome."  
  
Her brows furrowed cutely and she crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to focus on his perfectly full lips, "So? You have a problem with that?"  
  
A smile grew on his features as recognition dawned on him, "You," he started again, "are Kagome. And you," he paused, weighing the words in his mind, tasting them on his tongue, "enjoyed that. You are Kagome and you enjoyed that."  
  
Her blush deepened at his revelation, "What's your point?" she edged out, trying to sound unaffected and tough.  
  
"Nothing," he said with a particularly deranged laugh, "Nothing at all. Who ever would have thought my worst nightmare would become my dream come true?"  
  
......THE END 


	7. Nightmares Can Be Good Things

**Nightmares Can Be Good Things** (a.k.a Innocence Lost)

by Wandering Houshi Miroku, currently at , &

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, Miroku and Kagome would be canon & Rin would be old enough for Sesshomaru.

Summary: Kagome has a nightmare, and takes Miroku's comfort a little too enthusiastically.

Rating: mid- "R"

Notes: 1. Sex, drugs, alcohol & S&M. Oookay. This is why I don't write when I'm tired.

2. A fictitious piece of pie who knows the band, album and songs I cite in this. 3. This is gonna sound like a bad porno, but it's my first attempt at lechery on paper. Thank's for the support.

* * *

On he runs, through the endless gray. The wind whistles louder, and louder still. He runs faster, but the wind picks up speed, as if following him. He tries to escape, but falls. He looks at his surroundings, trying to figure out where he is. He stands bracing himself on a stone. A smooth, rounded...stone?

"It's a gravestone." he observes, and fearfully reads the name.

"Miroku....me."

The monk stares at his grave, inside what he can now see is a crater. The wind howls, his death creeping, and the beads on his hand break. The wind tunnel opens, and he begins to be sucked in. It tears at his hand, then the pain travels up his arm, and to the rest of him. The pain tears, rips, pulls him apart. A massive roar is sent to the crumbling sky, then all fades to black.

* * *

"No!" The girl from the future awoke with a scream, drenched in a cold sweat. She looked around, searching for...

"He's still there. Thank God." she sighed with relief. The purple-clad figure was resting peacefully, his breathing normal, his hair fallen over his face in a cute way, an even cuter pout on his face, a product of his dreams, no doubt. The girl is afraid for him. His time is like a fuse, short and burning fast. She needed to wake him. She just _had_ to.

"Miroku." she said, nudging him gently. "Miroku, wake up."

"Huh? Kagome? I must still be dreaming."

"No, you lech. I woke you up."

"Oh...why?"

"For...for this."

She bent lower and smothered the stunned monk with her lips, running her hand through his soft hair, and letting her tongue play with his.

"It's definitely a dream. But, if this is true, just let it be." the monk uttered.

"Oh, it's real. If it wasn't would I still do this?" SMACK!

The monk "ouch"ed in pain as the girl pried his hand from her panty line.

"Yes, yes you would. You do that quite often in my dreams." the monk stated with a cringe still on his face.

"God, you _are_ a masochist aren't you? Wait...you dream about me?"

"Um...no. Hey, so why'd you kiss me?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Oh....well, I, uh, I had a dream. You died."

"Well thank you for the vote of confidence. How did I die?"

"The Kazanaa."

"Oh. Well, yeah, that happens to me quite a bit. That's mainly what I dream about."

"And what else do you dream about?" she inquired.

"You."

"Oh really? "

"Yes. It's the Kazanaa then you. And Sango, sometimes. Or both of you."

"Lech."

"Yes I am. But you love me."

"You can't prove that."

"I believe I was just recently awakened from a slumber and was kissed by a 'innocent' girl from the future, not the other way around."

"Look, I was worried, OK? I don't want you to die."

"It's ok. I'm fine." he said, hugging her gently.

"I know. But you might not have been."

She looked up from the ground and into his eyes. The deep brown pools he mesmerized her with without even trying. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his chest.

"I can't let anything happen to you. You're my friend, I've got to protect you. I'm a miko, it's my job."

"No, I have to protect you. You're untrained and weak, insult not intended, and I, as a monk, must do all I can to ensure your safety. Besides, I like you too much to see you hurt. That's why I just can seem to get rid of th urge to hurt Inuyasha. He's always hurting you and you just take it. It pains me to see you like that."

She tried to speak, but couldn't.

"Thank- thank you. It means a lot known that someone cares."

"It's no problem. But you, however, seem to have one. You're shaking."

"Yeah...that nightmare must've gotten to me more than I thought."

"I could always make that go away."

"You're a bad person. God, wanting to have sex in the middle of camp. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, it's a habit, I-"

"Let's go to the river, where no one will see us."

"Wha- what?!" the monk exclaimed.

"Shhh. Keep it down. You'll wake them up." she scolded.

"Uh....yeah."

"Oh, wait, I want to get some things from my bag first."

"Ok. I'll wait for you."

"Ok." she agreed, and he then walked away.

* * *

"Miroku? You there?" the girl asked, clutching a small bag against her slight frame.

"Right here."

"Good. Now come, here, I wanna show you something."

"Ok, what?" he inquired, walking towards her.

"This." she said pulling some thing out of her bag.

"What are these things?"

"Ok, let's see....we've got a pair of fuzzy handcuffs, a whip, a cat o' nine tails and a dime bag."

"Uh....why? And what's a dime bag?"

"Marijuana. It's a drug I got from my friends Jay and Bob. And the rest is because you like pain."

"Alright. This is weird..."

"It's ok. Now I'm going to put the cuffs on you." she said, locking the monk's hands behind his back.

"Now, let's get rid of those robes..."

She ripped the purple and black robes from the monk, revealing his chiseled chest and abs.

She ran her hands down his front with an "oooh" and then slid her hand down his pants and rubbed him gently.

"Ah...big boy, are we? Good."

--Fast Foward--

He was on the floor, his hand behind his back, the girl in a mount position, moaning, writhing, every so often hitting his chest with the cat o' nine, and then dropped it, fell onto his chest and in the same moment, they screamed each other's names and she reached behind his back and unlocked the handcuffs.

"Kagome!"

"Yeah, say my name boy. Say it!"

"Kagome!"

"Again!"

"KAGOME!!!"

* * *

"What?!"

The girl awoke with a start.

"What happened? Huh?"

"You were yelling in your sleep, I thought you might be having a nightmare." the monk stated, concern on his face.

"Um...yeah. It was, uh, a nightmare. Thanks for waking me up, Miroku."

"Anytime, Lady Kagome."

**END  
**

* * *

**  
**

So what did you think? Good, bad, in the middle? If it's good, thanks, If not, I'm tired. Don't judge me. Wait...no, judge me, it helps.

Wandering Houshi Miroku, **Ani**MetallicA, the confused fanboy.


	8. New Moon and A Monk's Robe

Story Title: New Moon and A Monks Robe  
  
Author: amyfushigiyugi Edited by BelleDayNight  
  
Disclaimer: (like any of us care)I don't own Inu Yasha or any of its characters, Rumiko Takahashi does. '  
  
Story Summary: This one shot was taken from chapter two of Keeper of The Heart.  
  
Rating: R

* * *

New Moon and A Monks RobeThe night of the new moon sucked as far as Inu Yasha was concerned. Being human sucked even worst. "Feh," he stuck his now clawless hands in his sleeves trying to stay awake. Shifting into a more comfortable spot he glanced down at Kagome wishing he could hear her breathing. He missed that sound. Yep, being human was boring and made it harder to stay awake. His tense body slowly relaxed against his will as his eyes closed.  
  
Miroku watched from the shadow of the adjacent tree as Inu Yasha fell asleep. He knew how the hanyou felt about this night. Miroku had decided to stay awake and keep watch for once. He was the most powerful of the group now that Inu Yasha was having his monthly. Miroku smirked at his own mental joke.  
  
Kagome had brought something called instant coffee and Miroku had drunk several cups. After much deliberation Miroku had come to the conclusion that the stuff was dangerous. If given the opportunity, he could beat Kouga in a race right now. He watched his legs twitch as if hearing his thoughts. 'Scratch racing Kouga,' Miroku thought dreamily. 'I bet I could go through a harem of women right now and leave them all smiling and bearing my children.' His eyes glazed over as he dipped into those thoughts.  
  
Why he could even hear them moaning... 'Wait, that was a real moan!' Miroku's amethyst eyes snapped open to land on Kagome-sama who lay not far from him.  
  
Kagome stood surrounded in complete darkness as a light caught her eye. A Shikon shard!! She took a couple steps toward it but the shard seemed to be moving farther away. Not wanting to be left in the pitch black or lose the shard, Kagome frowned. She had no choice but to follow it. Looking around quickly she couldn't see anyone, so it was up to her. Taking a deep breath for courage she followed the now disappearing light into the unknown.  
  
Miroku cocked an eyebrow his face losing all expression, as Kagome seemed to be looking around at. ...Nothing?....then she stood up and took off into the trees, barely missing a low hanging limb as if she didn't even see it.  
  
Both Miroku's eyebrows raised as another thought struck him. SHE WASN'T AWAKE!!! Looking up Miroku made sure Inu Yasha was still sound asleep, now that he was human. Knowing Inu Yasha couldn't hear the sounds that would normally wake him Miroku quietly followed Kagome into the darkness.  
  
Kagome squinted her eyes as the shard seemed to shimmer as if it were going to disappear. Her steps faltered as two red eyes shimmered into existence accompanied by an evil laugh. "Oh shit," Kagome could feel her mouth move but couldn't hear her own voice.  
  
"So miko, you want the shard bad enough to come alone, unarmed and without your companions." Naraku's voice sent chills down her spine and she felt her heart speed up in fear.  
  
"Naraku." Kagome tried to hiss but it sounded more like a squeak. As if stepping into some spotlight out of the darkness his long dark hair floated around him in some imaginary breeze lending to his wickedness.  
  
Naraku smirked when he took a step forward and Kagome took a step back. "Come now, don't you want what you came for?" He held the shard in front of him as if to taunt her.  
  
Kagome stopped her retreat wanting to wipe the smirk from his face. Her eyes lit up for a millisecond as she reached behind her and thankfully felt the bow and arrows there on her back. In an instant she had drawn back and fired an arrow straight at his exposed chest.  
  
A chill ran through her as his smile widened and he waited on the impact. Kagome stood in horror as the arrow went into him opening up a portal only to release demonic red eyed spiders from some dark prison within him. The same type of spider that was imbedded in his back, they were all different sizes. Kagome screamed as they came at her in waves. Naraku's dark form was quickly changing into the shape of the demon spider.  
  
Miroku cleared the trees coming up behind Kagome just as she started silently screaming and throwing her clothes off in all directions. At first he was too stunned to react. As soon as he caught the fear in her eyes and the tears that trailed down her cheeks Miroku grabbed her and spun her around. First thing she did was hit him right in the neck sending him into a coughing fit but he didn't release her.  
  
Kagome's arms seemed to be everywhere all at once as she through her weight against him knocking him off his feet. Still Miroku didn't release her. As soon as he hit the ground he dragged her down on top of him and he rolled pinning her under him.  
  
Miroku now had new respect for her small size. Trapping those wild legs under his and pinning her arms to the ground he tried to calm her. "Kagome...Kagome-sama its Miroku. You have to wake up." Kagome's eyes were still unfocused and her breathing erratic. Miroku tried every hard not to notice the breathing as her bare chest pressed against the thin cloth of his robe. She had been very fast in shedding her clothing, not that he was complaining.  
  
Kagome could still see the spiders but stilled for a moment hearing Miroku's urgent voice. Praying help had come Kagome franticly whispered, "Get them off of me! Please Miroku, help!" She would rather face a thousand Narakus then a couple of spiders and Naraku must have known that. She fought to get her hands free trying to get her skirt off. She could still feel them crawling up her legs and under the cloth to hide.  
  
Miroku could see the fear still in her roaming eyes and wanted to make it go away. "What Kagome? What do you want off? I'll help you." He added ready to do anything she said.  
  
"My clothes," more tears flowed. "Please Miroku get my clothes off of me." Kagome moaned, squirming under him trying to get to her skirt off herself.  
  
Miroku sat up, still straddling her. Something told him he was going to die in the very near future and it wasn't going to be from the Kazana. Seeing her hands already at her skirt she was trying to move him. So Miroku did the only thing he could do. He moved and let her undress herself right there in front of him. It was when she started smacking at her skin as if killing imaginary objects that he stopped her.  
  
Grabbing Kagome's wrist safely in his hands Miroku brought her into his lap. As he did this she seemed to sense safety and instead of coming sideways, as he had planned, Kagome wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and buried her face in the arc of his neck gulping for air.  
  
Miroku let go of her wrist and she flung them around him latching on to him tightly. Miroku sighed placing his arms around her and running his hand up and down her bare back. "I've got you Kagome. It's all right now. I won't let anything hurt you ever." His voice was harsh and breathless. He didn't know if it was from the struggle he had with her or from when she nearly took out his throat but he did know he meant every word of what he said. He nuzzled her hair with his cheek hoping to comfort her.  
  
Kagome grew aware of the cool air that was caressing her and she opened her eyes. "Are you really here?" She asked skeptically as she watched stray tendrils of Miroku's hair brush across his neck and her cheek. She was still too frightened to look anywhere else just yet in fear of seeing eight legged creepy crawlies. Kagome snuggled deeper into his warmth and protectiveness.  
  
Miroku tried to smile but could only brace his teeth together as he felt his self harden when she unintentionally rubbed her center against his... "Fuck." Miroku flinched feeling her heat through his clothes. Trying to keep his voice calm Miroku asked, "Kagome? Are you finally awake now?"  
  
Kagome squeezed her eyes closed. "God I hope not." She was silent for a moment then in a child like voice she ventured to ask "Miroku?"  
  
"Yes Kagome-same?" His voice was strained.  
  
"I'm naked aren't I?" She wanted to die.  
  
"Yes." Miroku's voice seemed to hit a high note.  
  
"Do you see any spiders?" Kagome asked in a tiny voice.  
  
Miroku looked down her pale back, her soft skin glowing in the moonlight. Sliding his hand down the path his eyes had just taken he didn't stop until he had his hand cupping her smooth cheek. "Ahmm, no," he whispered as he shifted her tighter against him. Miroku groaned inwardly, almost drawing blood as he bit his lip from the sensation of her pressed against his rock hard...  
  
"Miroku?" Kagome pressed closer trying to hide.  
  
"Ahmm, yes?" He sounded a million miles away.  
  
"Remove the hand or I will remove it permanently." Her eyes narrowed as she stared at his chest. She closed her eyes in defeat realizing exactly what she had done. What ever she was sitting on seemed to be growing and she knew she had to do something quick.  
  
Miroku swiftly brought his hand up to the small of her back only to press down a little as his hips reflexively jerked upward.  
  
Kagome's eyes flew open and her head tilted up to look at his face. "Miroku!"

"Yes, Kagome-sama?" Miroku's voice faltered as his eyes glazed over.  
  
Knowing he was past help, Kagome started untying his robe dieing a little every time she had to pull and push a little until it finally came free of him.  
  
Miroku knew he was going to die. Kagome was undressing him and he was going to die any moment now. She pulled on the part of the robe that was caught between them and Miroku tasted the metallic flavor of his blood this time. As it finally pulled free and he could feel even more heat directly over his... Miroku's eyes shot open as the heat took flight and ...left him.  
  
Kagome had the robe wrapped around her securely before Miroku knew what hit him. His eyes instantly sought hers only to find she was staring at ... his eyes followed the path hers had taken and he looked down at himself seeing... the tent that was causing his loose pants to ride ...Ahmm...dangerously low.  
  
Miroku gulped, her staring at it like that wasn't going to make it go away any faster.  
  
Kagome spun around now knowing what she had been sitting on. With Miroku lying there like that with the shadows playing across his tone abs. Kagome shut the thought off mid-sentence as something coiled in the pit of her stomach. His eyes had been so pleading.  
  
She quickly looked everywhere but at him and located her missing clothes knowing it wasn't his fault they had been removed. She could feel the fire in her cheeks as she collected her clothing.  
  
"Kagome-sama?" Miroku started to rise.  
  
"No! Miroku don't move. Stay there please." She looked down at him, their eyes locking for a moment, as she seemed to do battle within the lavender pools. "Not a word Miroku." Kagome half pleaded half ordered as she passed him and headed back for what she hoped was camp.  
  
Miroku turned, watching her leave with only his robe as covering. His robe had never looked so good.


	9. Narcolepsy

**Story Title:** Narcolepsy

**Author:** Yume

**Disclaimer:** Me no own Inuyasha. Me no own Third Eye Blind. Please no sue?

**Story Summary:** Miroku has some sleeping problems.

**Rating:** PG

* * *

"I read dead Russian authors

Volumes at a time

I write everything down except what's on my mind

Cause my greatest fear is that sucking sound

And then I know I will never get back out

And there's a bone in my hand that connects to a drink

In a crowded room where the glasses clink

And I'll buy you a beer and we'll drink it deep

Because that keeps me from falling asleep"

--Narcolepsy by Third Eye Blind

Miroku sighed in disgust as he read the last few lines of Tolstoy's _War and Peace_. "Well," he mused out loud, "there were a few things I had forgotten from the last time I read it." He sighed again and fought back the temptation for the sigh to turn into a jaw-cracking yawn.

How many days had it been since he had gotten more than a few hours of sleep at a time? He had lost count. But so long as he concentrated on his studies he could evade the worst symptoms of sleep deprivation. Luckily for him, his Literature professor was accepting extra credit so long as the students composed a ten page paper on any author of their choosing. Good old Leo to the rescue. Miroku had read both _War and Peace_ as well as _Anna Karenina_ before. In fact, he had read most of what is considered "classics" once or twice.

Not that he enjoyed the temptation to bludgeon his head against said texts, but he had found long ago that reading complex literature helped to keep the nightmares away. Anything that required so much attention is bound to wear anyone out mentally. And so, he lived, day by day. When he got through his well-thumbed copies of Tolstoy, he moved on to Dostoevsky. If he was still conscious, he might resort to the writings of Pushkin, but he was better versed in the other two.

Miroku rubbed at his bloodshot eyes and moved from his reading chair to his computer desk. "Well, I suppose I could get started on this report." He looked at the clock. Three pm. "I wonder how many of these assignments Professor Myoga will accept this week. I'll finish this report by dusk, and then where will I be?"

Miroku wrote for hours until he filled the page requirement critiquing the two famous Tolstoy works. When he was finished, he couldn't repress the yawn that told of his weariness. Nonetheless, he read through his work, proofreading and correcting errors as he went. He saved the document and shut down the computer. "If being this damn exhausted doesn't get me through at least a few hours of sleep, then I don't know what else to do."

He stumbled to his bed and fell into sweet unconsciousness. Not even a half an hour later, he was tossing his head around and screaming silently as his nemesis caught up to him.

Miroku was caught in his nightmare. He'd had this recurring night terror for months, and it was getting to be damn frustrating. Not to mention the havoc it was playing on his social life. Almost every night, he would dream that he was running through a forest, like the devil was on his heels. He knew that the horror would be in front of him; yet, he still raced ahead. Suddenly - and every time he has this dream it startles him - the peaceful tree-laden landscape is gone, replaced by blackness with nothing but streaks of blinding pain to color the setting. A hollow whistle surrounds him and he's being pulled. Pulled in toward the center of the abyss at the same time he's pulled apart. Miroku was certain there must be something more terrifying than the sound of wind moving past you at alarming speeds, but strangely nothing came to mind.

With a jerk, and a few rather vulgar obscenities he made up on the spot, Miroku came awake. He looked at the clock and cursed again when he saw that it was just after midnight and he'd only spent two hours in the Land of Nod, but he did feel vaguely proud of his creativity at the vulgarities he'd produced. "I may need to write that down in case my landlord comes for a visit." he chuckled idly.

He stood up from the bed, ran a hand through his messy hair, and resorted to the more traditional, "Fuck it." Miroku decided he'd had enough "sleep" for the night, and got dressed and left his apartment, stifling another yawn as he locked the door behind him. The best thing about living in a college town is the abundance of places to get a good buzz at just about any hour. At this time of night, it was hard to miss the opportunities. Miroku selected a trendy tavern at random and approached the bar. Miroku had picked a busy night to get smashed, and there was only one stool left unoccupied at the bar, but luckily enough, it was at the end and there was a young woman sitting on the next chair, playing with a half-full beer.

"Is this seat taken?" he inquired to the woman, who turned out to be rather lovely-or would have been if she hadn't very obviously been rooted to the spot for quite some time. She had long raven hair, so dark it reminded Miroku of another, more eerie deep darkness. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, but otherwise would have been a very pretty brown. She was slender, if dressed a bit sloppy, and appeared to be in her early twenties, about the same as his age.

"I've never even shot an arrow!" she slurred in response. Miroku took that as, "Why, no. Help yourself, kind stranger." and made himself comfortable.

"Is that right? I say, in this day and age, why should you have reason to?" the ever diplomatic Miroku came back, as he gestured for the harried bartender.

She nodded exuberantly for a moment and then looked at him strangely as if he'd appeared out of nowhere. Either that, or she recognized him from a past life, and right now, Miroku wasn't about to rule anything out about this girl he just met.

She shook off her doubtful expression and continued without taking what he said into consideration. "I don't ever mean to stick him to the tree. He looks so sad hanging there. I feel so sorry for him," her voice died a bit, and she was whispering by the time she finished.

Then she shocked Miroku. Her voice rose above many of the others in the room as she said loudly, "I don't even like dogs!!"

Miroku gestured for the barkeep again. He wanted to get drunk enough to forget his nightmares and maybe a little of his weariness too, but that didn't mean he wanted to go through the process while being verbally assaulted by the nutcase sitting beside him. Now he knew why the seat had been empty. It was such a shame, after all, she was kind of cute.

Next thing Miroku knew, she was taking advantage of his greatest weakness. It started with a low whimper, and given her current emotional state along with the quantity of alcohol one could assume she had imbibed, it wasn't all that surprising. A moment later, when she started bawling, he knew he'd been snared in her trap. The fact that she was sobbing into his shirt was another strike against him.

Miroku has been known to be something of a ladies' man, but considering his own emotional state, along with a lack of practice, he found himself with an armful of strange weeping girl, and he hadn't the foggiest idea of what to do next. He awkwardly patted her on the back, and said, "I'm rather the cat person, myself. It's not anything to be ashamed of, to not like dogs."

Adding to his growing shock, the girl giggled, but oddly enough, she didn't sound nearly so drunk this time. "I must sound like I'm certifiable," she mumbled into his shirt. She sat up and stuck out her hand. "Hello, I'm Kagome Higurashi. I'm not usually like this."

He shook her hand carefully, cautious of what curve ball she was going to throw him next. "Miroku Houshi, living handkerchief, at your service"

Kagome had the grace to look contrite, "I'm really sorry about that. I've had a bad case of insomnia lately. And then I can't stay asleep when I get there. I guess I'm a little high strung lately"

"I suppose that's understandable. No one said college would be easy. I've had some sleep disturbances myself."

"Oh, it's not just because of school, although that so doesn't help. I've had some of the strangest dreams lately. I'm shooting an arrow and I always hit this boy. Only he isn't a boy, he's something strange, he's got these cute little puppy ears on top of his head." She started crying again, quietly this time. "When I hit him with the arrow, it glows so bright. I can't see it clearly, and when the light dies down, he's stuck to a tree, with my arrow sticking out of his chest. Then the pain comes. I don't know what it means. Usually I wake up by then."

The bartender finally got around to their end of the bar. "Sorry about the wait, what can I get ya?"

"Bring us two of whatever she's having," Miroku said, "This round's on me." He looked back at his companion, "You're right, that does sound disturbing. Oddly enough, I think I can understand how you feel."

Miroku never did get quite the buzz he was looking for that night. Instead, he talked with Kagome over two beers until the crowd petered out and it was closing time. It was strange, he had known her for only a few hours, but it felt like they had been best of friends for years unending. As he let himself into his apartment and started making preparations to give this sleep thing another try, he realized that he had forgotten to get her phone number. "Ah well," he said aloud to himself, "I suppose I'll have to find her on campus, then." Shortly afterwards, he drifted into a calm restful, and best yet, dreamless sleep.

And so did the girl with the darkest black hair in the apartment next door.


	10. Like A Sorrow Or A Tune

Story Title: Like a Sorrow or a Tune

Author: Embyrr

Disclaimer: I own nothing; not Inuyasha, not Miroku, not Kouga, not either of the two songs featured here. Except that I do own this laptop. It was a birthday/Christmas present for the next five years from a really cool family friend. It's running windows '95 and is really slow, but it's saving my hide because it's 2:37 am and I'm at my cousin's.

Story Summary: We all have in our hearts and minds great fears. It is sometimes through dreams that we discover a terror that we never thought we held.

Rating: PG

* * *

Miroku had discovered the formula that kept life in the group almost unbearable these days: Inuyasha is to idiot as Kagome is to perfect: synonymous. The hanyou was dumber than dirt; Kagome had decided to let up on Inuyasha and try to talk things out instead of yelling at him. Inuyasha had decided to repay her kindness by running off to Kikyo; apparently he preferred arguments and sittings to actual discussions of things that made him uncomfortable, though if presented with this argument he'd probably deny it.

The group was tense now; without their strongest fighter around they would probably be the targets of an attack from Naraku. Unfortunately, none of them particularly wanted the idiot back.

"Kagome, do you think Inuyasha will ever come to his senses and give up Kikyo for you?" Miroku looked up at Shippo's question, wanting to see Kagome's answer.

Kagome smiled sadly. "Shippo-chan, do you think I will ever come to my senses and give up Inuyasha for Kouga? After all, he's in the same situation with me as I am with Inuyasha."

Miroku looked back down at his dinner, tuning out the ensuing conversation for the moment. Kagome would be the one to draw that parallel; how could she be so forgiving, taking the blame for so many things? Also, something had changed lately. Though Miroku couldn't quite put his finger on it, Kagome didn't seem as upset about Inuyasha's behavior as she should have been.

"…not like he can just forget about her, he feels he has a duty, we have to respect that and let him do what he thinks is right." No, that didn't sound like Kagome at all. Not when Inuyasha had just run off to Kikyo.

"But Kagome-chan, he shouldn't have to hurt to you to help her." Sango pointed out.

"No, he shouldn't, but Shippo-chan shouldn't be mean to him; we all have shortcomings." Kagome had a valid point, but why would she start bringing these things up now? There had been plenty of opportunities before today. Miroku closed his eyes and tried to think of when all this had started, but Shippo jumping onto his head was something of a distraction. He opened his eyes to find the kitsune's face mere inches from his own.

"Miroku, are you sick? 'Cause if you aren't gonna want the rest of your food then I do."

"Shippo-chan!" Kagome's voice held a reprimanding tone that caused Shippo to scuttle away from them.

"No Shippo, I am not sick. I just haven't been sleeping well in the last few days." This was true, Miroku had been plagued by a reoccurring nightmare, and once he awoke it was useless to try to get to sleep again.

* * *

Camp settled down for the night. The moon was in its last days before disappearing. Miroku saw Kagome looking up at the little sliver and sighed. "I am certain that Inuyasha is safe, Kagome-sama. Even he would not be so foolish as to allow himself to be seen in his human form."

"Unfortunately, he probably would. You know that Kikyo wants him human, I just wish that he had enough common sense to realize that she's not the same person that she was." Kagome looked down at her hands, neatly folded in her lap. "I worry about him sometimes, he's had such problems all of his life. I guess I want him to be able to be happy."

Kirara pushed her forepaws against Miroku's leg, nuzzling at his hand and purring contentedly when he scratched behind her ears. "Kagome-sama, if it didn't involve hundreds, possibly thousands of people being miserable, you'd want Naraku to be happy as well."

Kagome just laughed.

* * *

Miroku walks quietly down the halls, bare feet hardly making a sound as he searches for the right door. His little seven-year-old hands catching the frame of the shoji once he finds the correct room. "Mom? Mom? Are you still asleep?"

She lies there on her futon, beautiful and peaceful as always, but her face is too pale and she isn't breathing. "Mommy?"

He touches her face and it is like ice, "Mommy!" He shakes her shoulder, trying desperately to wake her, hoping that it's some sort of joke, or a dream. "Mommy, wake up!"

He grabs her, holding her close, rocking back and forth and crying.

But suddenly it isn't his mother he's holding, and he isn't a child anymore.

"Kagome! Kagome, please! You have to be all right!" There's blood everywhere, Kagome's blood. He's holding a bleeding, dying Kagome in his arms. She looks up at him, eyes dimming as death starts to lay its claim, and smiles. That's it; she smiles at him and then dies in his arms.

* * *

Miroku started awake, heart pounding, terrified. That same nightmare again, what on Earth could it mean? What kind of parallel between his mother's death and Kagome dying had his mind come up with to conjure that dream so many nights in a row?

Feeling unsettled as he had every night after the dream, Miroku stood and walked over to where Kagome was sleeping. A wave of relief swept over him as he saw the steady rise and fall of her chest.

She really was beautiful, some otherworldly creature sent down to earth. She couldn't blend in though, her kind smile, her bright laugh, her gentle, caring nature; they all gave her away.

Miroku started to make his way back to where he had been sleeping, still unsettled, to wait for morning. He wanted nothing more than to take Kagome in his arms and hold her for a while, but if she were to wake up - no, he couldn't do that. Not only would Kagome kill him, Sango would kill him too, and then when Inuyasha got back, he'd be killed again. And besides all that, he couldn't allow himself to go throwing unwanted attention at her. In any event, she loved Inuyasha, so it didn't particularly matter how he felt.

"No…"

Miroku turned, looking back at Kagome, to see her shift agitatedly inside her sleeping sack.

"Inuyasha, no…"

Miroku's heart sank; did the hanyou leave her even in her dreams?

"Stop, please…"

He moved back over next to her, laying a soothing hand on her shoulder to try to quiet her.

"No, stop, please!"

She was crying in her sleep, eyes squinched shut and tears streaming down her face.

"Don't listen to them! They're wrong!"

Miroku shook her shoulder, trying to wake her.

"You're the most important one! The most important!"

"Kagome, you're dreaming, wake up." Miroku shook her shoulder more firmly, relived when her eyes snapped open.

"M-Miroku!" With a strangled sob, Kagome threw herself into his arms, obviously still half caught up in her nightmare.

"They're wrong!"

Miroku wrapped a comforting arm around her waist. "Of course they are."

"Don't listen to them!"

"I won't."

"I hate them!"

Hate was not a word Kagome used lightly, and Miroku decided it was time to find out what was going on in her sleep-muddled mind. "Why, Kagome? Why do you hate them?"

Kagome hugged him tighter but didn't speak.

"Kagome, what did you dream about? Who do you hate?"

Kagome sniffled and tried to burrow into him. "Y-your Kazaana was gonna swallow you up and they didn't care."

Miroku blinked - she had dreamt about him?

"Y-you said the only thing you can do is cut off your hand and they said that you're useless to start with and even more useless without your hand." She hugged him even closer and started crying again.

"What happened then Kagome?" He asked gently, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down her back.

"You cut off your hand and they said that you're stupid and you said they're right. You kept cutting yourself open, you were just cutting yourself and cutting yourself and there was blood everywhere and I couldn't make you stop. You said you aren't important."

"Kagome, who are 'they'?" Miroku asked, running a hand through her hair, trying to calm her down.

"Inuyasha and Sango and Shippo and everybody."

Miroku sighed and rested his cheek against the top of her head; he needed this contact after his own dream, and was quite sure that Kagome wanted to be held too. He was quiet until she calmed down, occasionally rocking her or rubbing her back, anything to help ease her worries, never mind that it made him feel better too.

"I'm so stupid." Kagome said quietly. "It was just a dream and here I am, bawling my eyes out. I'm such a baby."

"You are not stupid, nor are you a baby. I know very well how disturbing a dream can be." Miroku said calmly, evenly, trying not to let thoughts of his own nightmare resurface.

There was a long moment of silence; Miroku was deep in thought, so when Kagome spoke he was startled. He was even more startled when what she said registered.

"I'm glad Inuyasha isn't here."

"What?" Miroku was stunned. Had he heard correctly?

Kagome looked up at him, eyes puffy and red in the light from the dying fire. "If he was here, well, _he_ wouldn't hug me, and he wouldn't let you touch me. He would think I'm a stupid baby, he always yells at me for stuff like that. I hate the way he makes me feel, I just hate it. I wish he'd let me be his friend, but I guess that's a bit much to ask."

Miroku just stared down at her; this wasn't the Kagome he knew. When had this change occurred and how had he missed it? "Kagome, correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that you wanted Inuyasha to be, well…"

"…more than just a friend?" Kagome sighed and smiled sadly, "I did for a long time, it's only just recently that I've realized that it's never going to work. He'll always compare me to Kikyo and I'll always feel inferior. That's not something that you can build a relationship on."

A chill breeze swept through the camp, making Kagome shiver. Miroku shifted a little, moving them so that his back was resting up against a tree trunk. Kagome, sensing his intention, shifted and grabbed her sleeping bag, pulling it over the two of them.

After a few minutes of starlit silence, Miroku voiced a question that had been nagging at him since Kagome had calmed down. "What did you mean 'you're the most important one'?"

Kagome looked up at him from her comfortable position cradled against his chest. "When did I say that?"

"While you were caught in that dream, you were talking in your sleep." Miroku watched her face carefully, gauging her reaction. "In that dream you were trying to convince me that I was important, but what did you mean by 'the _most_ important'? Why not just 'you are important'?"

Kagome looked away from him, for some reason darting a guilty look toward Sango, asleep on the other side of the fire, before opting to stare at the bark of the tree, just over Miroku's left shoulder. "Do you really think," she asked quietly, "that I could break off the dream of Inuyasha and me if I hadn't started to develop feelings for someone else?"

They were quiet again for a spell, but oddly, the silence wasn't strained or oppressive, nor was it tense and waiting for Miroku to answer. It was the kind of stillness one hummed during, not out of boredom or impatience, it was just the sort of lull that begged a soft tune. Miroku hadn't even realized that he was humming until Kagome spoke.

"What's that song?"

"Hm?" Miroku had to pause a moment to figure out what she was talking about. "Oh, that's a song my father would sing to me whenever I had trouble sleeping."

"My dad would sing to me too, before he died, always the same song every night. It was our little ritual." Kagome paused a moment and then began to sing, her voice bright and enchanting as a sunrise.

_Lida-Rose, I'm home again Rose_

_To put the sun back in the sky,_

_Lida-Rose, I'm home again Rose_

_About a thousand kisses shy._

_Ding-dong-ding,_

_I can hear the chapel bells chime,_

_Ding-dong-ding,_

_At the first suggestion, I'll pop the question._

_Lida-Rose, I'm home again Rose_

_Without a sweetheart to my name,_

_Lida-Rose now everyone knows_

_That I'll be hoping you're the same._

_So this is my love song,_

_Not fancy or fine._

_Lida-Rose, oh won't you be mine,_

_Lida-Rose, I'm home again Rose,_

_Lida-Rose, I'm home again Rose,_

_Lida-Rose.___

Miroku sat, eyes closed, savoring the last note of the song as one would savor a mouthful of dark, freshly baked bread spread with honey. When he finally opened his eyes he saw that Kagome was looking up at him with an uncertain expression. "That," Miroku said, intent upon dispelling any misunderstandings. "was without a doubt, the most beautiful sound which I have ever had the pleasure of hearing." Kagome beamed.

"Let's hear your song now," she said quietly.

Miroku shook his head. "I assure you, Kagome-sama, my voice will sound dull and out of tune when compared with yours."

"Don't," Kagome said, her smile lessening a little. "Miroku, you've been calling me by just my name all night, don't stop now."

Miroku blinked, she'd noticed and not called him on it? Come to think about it, he realized that his name hadn't been followed by an honorific this evening either. "All right, Kagome."

"Aren't you going to sing?" Kagome asked, grinning up at him impishly.

"Well, if you insist."

"I insist."

Miroku paused for a moment, obviously finding pitch and tempo before he began. Kagome's eyes widened as the first phrase of the tune washed over her. His voice was a deep bass, low and mournful, but he brushed over the sad notes of the haunting tune, landing upon each as lightly as a song sparrow perching itself on a branch of sakura blossoms.

_The night will never stay,_

_The night will still go by,_

_Though with a million stars_

_You pin it to the sky._

_Though you bind it with the blowing wind,_

_And you buckle it with the moon,_

_The night will slip away,_

_Like a sorrow or a tune._

_The night will never stay,_

_The night will still go by,_

_Though with a million stars_

_You pin it to the sky._

_Though the moon floats like a silver dream,_

_So lovely it calls to me,_

_The night will sail away,_

_Like a ship out on the sea._

_The night will never stay,_

_The night will still go by,_

_Though with a million stars_

_You pin it to the sky._

_Though the dawn is like a golden rain,_

_With the rising of the sun,_

_The daylight too will fade_

_And the night once more will come._

_The night will never stay,_

_And the day will never last._

Kagome let out the breath she had been holding as the song ended. Tears, inspired by the bittersweet tune and words, shone in her eyes. "That was wonderful. It-it sounded like the way you look sometimes, so lonely and honest, seeing the way things will never stay the same."

She hugged him close, burying her face in his chest and inhaling deeply. He smelled of the old cloth of his robes and of the pine logs he had collected for firewood. He smelled of musty old scrolls and sandalwood and incense and tealeaves. He also smelled ever so slightly of damp leaves and peppermint. It was a pleasant, safe, sedating scent, and Kagome soon found herself lost and drowsing in it.

"You smell nice," Kagome heard herself mumbling. "Like comfortable things and peppermint."

Miroku chuckled and Kagome turned her head so that one ear was pressing against his chest. She could feel the vibrations of his laugh against her cheek, hear his heart's steady "lub-a-dub, lub-a-dub, lub-a-dub" and found that in the cocoon of Miroku's arms, she was even safer than she had thought before.

Miroku felt the girl in his arms drifting off, and was suddenly struck by a very strong urge to do something both extremely reckless and very stupid. But, inebriated as he was by Kagome, it seemed like a good idea. Miroku shifted them, tilting Kagome's face up to look at him. He took in her sleepy eyes and mussed up hair for a moment, thinking how absolutely adorable she was, then lowered his mouth to hers. It was a chaste kiss, platonic, even, but the feeling that he got from it was like drinking a mug of cocoa on a January evening after having just been out in the snow - the kind of comforting, muzzy warmth that droops a person's eyelids and promises pleasant dreams.

fin


	11. It's All Just A Dream

Story Title: It's All Just A Dream

Author: Crash  
  
Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Inuyasha in any way.  
  
Story Summary: Miroku's worst nightmare.  
  
Rating: PG13 (could pass for PG)  
  
A/N: This has to be the shortest fic I have ever wrote in my life.  
But I like the way it turned out.

* * *

It's All Just A Dream  
  
Kagome sighed as she sat up, unable to sleep in the unbearable heat  
of the summer night. She looked up at the tree branch above her  
where Inuyasha had been when she had fallen asleep. She noticed the  
missing presence of Shippo next to her, and looked over to where  
Sango and Miroku slept with Kirara between them, and saw Sango and  
Kirara missing as well. With everyone else unexplainably gone, that  
only left Kagome and the still slumbering monk in the clearing where  
they had made camp the previous evening.

* * *

******  
**  
It was dark as Miroku looked around, not recognizing his  
surroundings. He had fallen asleep in a clearing with his travelling  
companions, but now they were no where to be found. He did see the  
place where they'd had a fire going when he had fallen asleep, but  
that was the only thing that said he was still in the same clearing.  
He stood up with the intent of going in search of his companions but  
his feet got tangled in something after just a few steps and he fell  
flat on his face.  
  
Miroku rolled over and sat up, ready to throw the offending material  
away from his person when he noticed what it was. Wrapped around his  
ankles was the dark blue, silky material of Kagome's sleeping bag.  
Only, it wasn't completely blue anymore. Now, there were splashes of  
crimson covering the silky material. Panic raced through his body as  
the implications ran through his mind. What had happened that would  
cause blood to be on Kagome's sleeping bag?' His mind didn't even  
flinch when he didn't use the usual honorific with her name. He  
hadn't for a long time, if only in his mind.  
  
Miroku went over the possibilities and none of them presented a  
pleasant scenario for him. He couldn't come up with anything that  
didn't involve bodily harm being done to Kagome. Or the others,' he  
reminded himself. He was supposed to be worried for the others'  
safety as well.  
  
"Kukukukukukukukuku."  
  
The evil laugh surround Miroku, making him freeze. That laugh could  
only belong to one being.  
  
"Naraku."  
  
As soon as the cursed name passed his lips, the dark hanyou revealed  
himself, moving out of the shadows of the forest into the clearing  
where the monk stood.  
  
"Poor little monk. Left all alone. I bet you're wondering where  
your friends are," Naraku's smooth voice said, coming from everywhere  
and nowhere at the same time.  
  
"What did you do with my friends?" Miroku demanded, anger glowing in  
his eyes.  
  
"Me? Oh, I didn't do anything to any of them. Except for Kagome.  
Her I have a personal interest in. But, knowing you, you won't  
believe what I saw, so I'll just show you," Naraku said, a maniacal  
glee coming through in his voice.  
  
A portal opened up before Miroku's eyes, and he found he couldn't  
move. He couldn't even turn his head or blink. He watched as the  
portal first showed Inuyasha. An impressive growl escaped his lips  
as he saw the hanyou with Kikyo, willingly letting the undead  
priestess drag him to hell with her. The last thing he saw of the  
hanyou was him kissing Kikyo passionately.  
  
Next, Miroku was shown Sango. Locked in battle with her younger  
brother. Both of them had very severe wounds, and it wouldn't be  
long before both collapsed with exhausted, and Miroku knew that  
neither of them would ever stand back up again.  
  
Lastly, Miroku was greeted with the sight of Kagome. Stripped  
completely naked and tied to an odd looking bed with posts at the  
four corners. And there were rivers of blood running along her body,  
some pooling in places. Miroku could tell she had been beaten, and  
badly. There were bruises everywhere on her body. Not that the  
blood wasn't a dead give away.  
  
He wanted to look away. Close his eyes. Anything so he wouldn't  
have to stare at the terrible image of Kagome completely  
defenseless. He wanted to scream in agony. He would have even  
preferred being sucked in by his kazaana if he could just get the  
horrible image out of his head. He knew it couldn't be true. Kagome  
would rather die than let anyone do anything like that to her. She  
was too strong for someone to do something like that to her.  
  
"She is rather good," Naraku's voice taunted. "You should feel the  
way she wiggles underneath you. So delicious."  
  
"You bastard," Miroku screamed as he ripped the rosary beads from his  
cursed hand and let the kazaana loose on Naraku. But at the last  
second, the form changed from a smirking Naraku into a terrified  
Kagome. He couldn't get the beads back around his cursed hand fast  
enough and watched horrified as Kagome was sucked into his hand.

* * *

******  
**  
Kagome sat with Miroku's head in her lap as she tried to calm him.  
Not long after she had awoken to find the camp empty, with the  
exception of her and the monk, he had started tossing and turning  
restlessly in his sleep. He now had sweat beading on his forehead  
and his head was moving from side to side as he moaned out in what  
sounded to Kagome like misery.  
  
He's probably dreaming of having bad sex with an old lady or  
something,' Kagome mused to herself, trying to keep the worry she  
knew would come if she let it away. She looked out into the forest,  
hoping that the rest of her friends were alright.  
  
"No."  
  
Kagome was startled to hear Miroku's voice, and looked back down to  
see him still asleep.  
  
"No."  
  
He said it again. This time more forcefully. And with a growing  
panic.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Miroku abruptly sat up, screaming for all he was worth, panic and  
pain evident on his features.  
  
"Miroku?" Kagome tentatively ventured, not noticing her lack of use  
of the usual honorific. She was taken aback by the look on Miroku's  
face as he turned to face her. Before she knew what to do or say,  
Miroku had his arms wrapped around her waist, his face buried in her  
shoulder as he cried.  
  
Kagome looked surprised at first, but soon wrapped her arms around  
his shoulders, her hands rubbing up and down his back. "Hush,  
Miroku. It's alright. It was all just a dream. Just a bad dream,"  
she comforted, not knowing how much her presence was really consoling  
him at the time.  
  
Without thinking, Miroku pulled back enough to look at Kagome a  
minute before he leaned forward once more and claimed her lips in a  
heated kiss, tears still running down his cheeks. He nibbled on her  
lower lip, as if asking for entrance into her mouth, and took the  
opportunity when she gasped to slip his tongue inside her mouth. He  
teased her tongue for a few minutes, until they were both in need of  
air, so he pulled away from her lips, and hid his face in her  
shoulder again, the tears still coming.  
  
Kagome was shocked. Not only did Miroku kiss her like she had never  
been kissed before, but then he just rested his head back on her  
shoulder like he hadn't done anything. His hands weren't wandering  
from where they were holding her tightly too him. And she should  
have smacked him for stealing her first kiss, but with him hugging  
her like a lifeline while he was crying, she just couldn't.  
  
Wanting to soothe whatever was wrong with the monk, and she knew it  
hadn't been a bad sex dream, Kagome rubbed her hand over his back,  
her other hand running through his hair, which had come loose from  
it's little dragons tail. Just sitting there, with him clinging to  
her gave Kagome time to think.  
  
Inuyasha had been acting even weird than usual, and Miroku had been  
paying her more attention than before, yet he was leaving her butt  
alone. She knew she had feelings for the monk, but she wasn't sure  
how deep they ran. She didn't want to be hurt again. But Miroku  
wouldn't treat her the same way Inuyasha did; she knew that. But  
beyond that, she didn't know much else.  
  
After he had calmed down, Kagome had almost expected Miroku to  
apologize for his actions, but he merely laid back down and put his  
head in Kagome's lap.  
  
"It's all just a dream," he murmured before he fell back to sleep.  
  
Kagome just smiled at him as he slept peacefully, and maneuvered both  
their bodies so that she could lay down and get some more sleep  
herself.

* * *

******  
**  
"You need to keep your hands to yourself and your dick in your  
pants," Sango hissed at Inuyasha as she dressed for the third time  
that night.  
  
"Keh. If you would just admit you like it, I wouldn't have to keep  
proving my point," Inuyasha growled back.  
  
"I swear, you're worse than that so-called-monk," Sango hissed,  
poking Inuyasha in the chest.  
  
"See, you can't keep your hands off me," Inuyasha said with a cocky  
smirk.

* * *

"That was really refreshing, wasn't it Kirara," Shippo said as they  
walked back to the camp. "It was too hot to sleep, and that soak in  
the river was just what I needed to get back to sleep."  
  
Kirara nodded, moving a bit faster, wanting to get back to her  
mistress to make sure nothing had happened to her.

* * *

****  
  
The two pairs of travelers reached the clearing at the same time, and  
were met with the same sight. Miroku curled up against Kagome's  
side, his arms wrapped around her waist and her arm around his  
shoulders as she willingly let the monk use her chest as a pillow.  
  
The group stared at the odd sight for a few minutes, but then  
shrugged and moved about to their original sleeping spots and went  
back to sleep for the night.  
  
**The End**


	12. Human Nature

**Story Title:** Human Nature

**Author:** Cymarel

**Disclaimer:** Lalala! I can't hear myself saying it! I dont own Miroku...or Sesshoumaru... or Kouga...or Naraku...or any of those sexy people's companions...darnedit. Lalala!

**Story Summary:** Kagome overreacts after waking up from a twisted nightmare, and, for Miroku, and perhaps Kagome, it all turns out for the better.

**Rating:** Pg-13

**Author's Note:** So, its not exactly the worst nightmare ever, in fact its based off one I had last night. And I just had to write it out. Hope its ok!

………………..

**- - - Human Nature - - -**

It was the middle of the day, no later than one o'clock, and Kagome was already in a panic. Too much was out of order, and she wasn't ready and she only had 6 hours to fix all of it!

A smart person would have sat down, taken a long breath, and thought through the various problems.

Alas, for some reason, Kagome had temporarily lost her mind and was doing none of that. Instead, she was scurrying inside her closet from shoe to shoe in a hopeless attempt to find the one that matched the other blue high heeled shoe she held in her left hand. Had she mentioned the hopelessness of the situation?

Unfortunately, she'd only been able to obtain her pair of _black_ high heeled shoes. She couldn't wear those! They would never match! After all, her dress was a floral blue print on cream halter to...the colors just didn't co-ordinate!

Time rushed ahead and all too soon it was 6:30. Suddenly, the shoe dilemma disappeared only to be replaced with another. She only had one ticket to the dance they were planning to go to that night! It never ever occurred to her that she shouldn't be the one to pay for both tickets.

Seemingly within the next few moments, a car drove up to park in front of her house. Oh no! It was already seven! Miroku had arrived! Kagome was nervous, but highly excited. Until she saw the second person escorted from the car, thanks to Miroku. A lovely young lady.

Well, maybe it was only ! Or...or some exchange student! Maybe there was some reason. Or...maybe there wasn't. After all, not even Miroku would grope his cousin. Would he?

All three of them were seated at a table. Kagome at the end, Miroku and his guest to her left. Kagome never learned the name of his guest, but she did know that the other lady was gorgeous curled blond hairand dazzling blue eyes - bright enough to challenge the brilliance in her own.

Kagome hadn't noticed before, but somehow she'd changed into a purple-blue dress full of sparkles and little white gloves. She hated little white gloves.

Suddenly, or maybe she'd just never noticed in the beginning, Miroku and his guest were shamelessly flirting and getting quite touchy feely with eachother. It was sickening, and Kagome was extremely jealous. Miroku continually fell into the other girl's lap and whenever Kagome would try to pull him upright, he would fall right back again. After the third time this occurred, Kagome's mother, from some vantage point across the dining room, scolded her for being such a rude hostess.

_I'm not a hostess!_ Kagome wanted to shriek, _I'm supposed to be here on a date!_

Instead, he brought another! She could feel unbidden tears spring to her eyes. She'd only finally worked up the courage to ask Miroku out on a date and here, now, everything was ruined! Her vision was blurred. Miroku was calling her name, but she tried to ignore him. Whatever he was going to say would only make it worse.

He was now reaching towards her (the table had strangely enough disappeared) and shaking her by her shoulders.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Her eyes opened to see Miroku shaking her shoulders.

"You...Miroku...why'd you have to be so...so...cruel!" she shivered, then reached a decision, "bastard..." She slapped him, with as much strangth as a heart broken soul could muster, and he recoiled, perhaps more from shock than from the force. An echo seemed to resound in the following silence, reinforcing the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.

Blink once. Blink twice. Wait. She wasn't in some fancy restaurant. She wasn't wearing a dress. Everybody didn't hate her. There was no blond girl in sight.

"Oh Kami!" she whispered. "I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, SORRY! I didn't mean it Miroku! I'm sorry!" She scrambled up onto both feet, towards the sorry looking fellow, his hair fallen out of its naturally tightly bound ponytail. "Oh Miroku, how can I show you I'm sorry!"

Now, Miroku still didn't quite understand why he'd been struck, but if she was going to make an offer like that, he could think of many ways of...repayment.

Kagome was sobbing now, so he, as any gentleman would, took her into his arms. Acting the gentleman he was, he only allowed _one _to travel dangerously low, the other trying to comfort her with its massaging ministrations.

Soon enough, her sobs turned into hiccups. Hiccups into slight, sharp intakes of breath, and eventually a normal breathing pattern returned. Neither could tell just how much time had passed.

"Miroku?" She looked up hopefully, in anticipation of what she would say next.

"Hm?"

"I am sorry...and if there's any way for me to show it..." She paused.

"Why, actually, yes there is. Do you know anything about massages?"

"Um...a little bit. Why? Do you want me to give you on? I don't want to hurt you...more..."

"No, no, no," he smirked, "You misunderstand. I was thinking I could give you one."

"What? That's all? Um, well, ok."

"Good. Lay down." She turned onto her stomach and laid her head on her hands. "Hm...no, no, no. This is all wrong. I meant lay down on your _back_." The devious smile had returned. The one that hinted at all sorts of perverted thoughts.

She complied.

He froze, but only for an instant. She complied?! Well, who was he to not take advantage of opportunity?

With a mouthed thank you towards the heavens, he placed both hands at opportune places on her body and began his gentle ministrations. While his hands began in relatively safe places (more than an inch away from any...certain...regions), that could only last for so long and with a minute or so, he was in dangerous territory. He loved curves, he really did. He took this chance to explore those curves before the expectant cry would come and he would be hit over the head.

It _never _came. He must be dreaming. He knew it. He looked down again, his eyes had previously closed on their own accord, almost expecting to see some monster from a nightmare. After all, nothing in real life could ever be this good. She was still there. "Kagome? Don't hit me."

"Why would I - ?" She started to pose a question, when his lips were suddenly pressed against hers. He wanted her too? Or, was he just playing her as he had all those other women? Did it matter? Now? Could she even think?

But it _did _matter. It was important to her. Otherwise he would be just like...Inuyasha. Never. No. He was _NOT _Inuyasha. So...she could just leave it pass for one night. Couldn't she? Please?

She was kissing him back. Her hands had come down from above her head to rest on the tops of his shoulders, one sliding up to caress his cheek, then to the right of his eye and then his ear, making patterns from place to place. It was solace for her, and that was exactly what she needed at the moment.

It was only human nature after all.


	13. Goodnight, Sweetheart

Story Title: "Goodnight, Sweetheart."

Author: The one and only...Juju!Disclaimer: Do I look like R.T to you? Huh? HUH? snaps fingers and bobs head Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, I don't own Inuyasha, so don't sue me.Story Summary: Miroku's had a nightmare, and can't get back to sleep until someone gives him a hand in solving his problems...

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"Goodnight, Sweetheart."The monk's dusky orbs widened in shock for a moment, then glazed over with poorly concealed lust as he watched the young miko before him. Small, almost child-like fingers toyed with the silly ribbon on the front of her uniform, opening it teasingly, bit by bit. With a smirk that could rival his own, she stepped forward and wrapped it around his neck, using it to pull him closer to her. Large, soulful eyes stared up into his and glossy lips parted, drawing ever closer...  
  
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	14. 48 Hours

**Story Title:** Fourty Eight Hours....And so much changed

**Author:** Lady Ambrosine (Aka Abhilasha)

**Disclaimer:** My soul is about to be owned by the devil since I am about to give it to him for one night with Miroku. And Inuyasha is own by you know who. The person who MADE Kagome love Inuyasha and Miroku love Sango. Who here agrees that that isn't fair?

**Story Summary:** In where a magazine, Curiousity, A couple of questions, And a nightmare lead to a lot of insanity. And naughtiness. Not that type you perverts! Kagome-ish naughtiness. Not Miroku-ish naughtiness

**..........................................................................................................................**

**Plot(****Aka**** AMY):** Why am I here? There is no plot. This is a real PWP.

**Author:** Shut up! You know you were _waiting_ for this! Based right before epp 57 after Sango has left to go repair her boomerang.

**P.S:** VERY LONG one-shot. You might need like two bathroom breaks. Just thought I'd warn ya.

**(--f-- means flashback)**

**..........................................................................................................................**

Kagome gasped out in indignation as she shot up wide eyed.

Miroku who had been recently laying back against a tree with his eyes closed opened one eye in curiousity. Now what could have been so shocking as to bring out such a reactio.........?

"What!?" Kagome grabbed on to her magazine with a very dangerous death grip. The sound of ripping paper echoed out into the night as Kagome stared at her magazine with flashing eyes.

Oh no _no__ no_......

She knew that the small- But very _unfair!-_ paragraph in front of her had perhaps a small amount of truth in it but it was going _TOO_ far!

Yes, She was innocent. She didn't need a god forsaken quiz to tell her that. But an _angel!?_

_Breath__ Kagome. In and out. In and out. It's not that difficult...._

Thus having reminded herself, Kagome with a sigh let the remains of the magazine fall to the ground. How old was she now? Sixteen. Sixteen and not even a kiss to the cheek from a male to her name.

Sooooo....

She was an angel. _Damn._

"Kagome-sama, Is everything all right?"

Kagome's head snapped back to where Miroku was laying. Had he been awake the whole time?

"Umm....Yea Miroku-sama. Everything is fine...It's just this thing I read...."

Miroku's eyebrow shot up quite high on his forehead. "Is that so? And what was it that you read?" He asked sitting up and crossing his legs. A small smile spread across his face when he saw her look back at the fallen 'book' completely flustered.

Kagome worried her bottom lip anxiously. She could ask him. He was experienced, She was sure of _that_. And....And...He would be honest. If there was one thing Miroku was the most, It was honest.

_Heh_. To his friends at least.

"Do you...... Miroku-sama...." Kagome promptly shut her mouth when she felt a blush start at her neck and begin traveling up to her face. Angel indeed.

Miroku tilted his head. _Interesting_......

No way in hell she was getting away now. Not after letting him witness such an adora...._uhhhh_.....nevermind. She just wasn't going to get off

that easily.

"Kagome-sama, You can tell me anything. I will seal my lips shut" Miroku said standing up. One quick sweep of the area proved his senses correct. Inuyasha had left. Again.

Kagome wearily watched as Miroku walked closer. A sigh of relief escaped her when he sat close but far enough to prevent violation._Come__ on she could DO this_......

The sigh did not go unnoticed by Miroku who resisted the urge to huff indignantly.

"Miroku-sama".

Miroku once again tilted his head lightly. "Yes, Kagome-sama?", He prompted deathly curious.

"Ok here goes", She said aloud to herself. Swiftly she turned to Miroku and looked him dead in the eye. "Do you think I'm an angel?"

His reaction was not at all what she had expected. Laughter, Oh yea. Curiosity, perhaps. But shock? NO.

With a sigh Kagome rolled her baby blue eyes. "Not an _angel_, per se, I mean in the term of innocence. You know, Angels are pure....and innocent.....and stuff....and...So, do you?", She asked again looking him in the eye.

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